Woman charged over alleged trafficking to Egypt

A 42-year-old woman has been charged with one count of trafficking in persons.

She is alleged to have facilitated a 51-year-old woman's travel from Fiji to Egypt in 2022 for employment as a babysitter while being reckless as to whether the woman would be exploited, according to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

The alleged offence is among 24 indictments filed in the High Court in June involving 36 counts of serious non-sexual offences and 37 accused persons.

The cases include charges of murder, manslaughter, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, theft and acts intended to cause grievous harm.

The ODPP said the alleged trafficking offence occurred in 2022 when the accused facilitated the woman's travel overseas for employment.

The June statistics also recorded two counts each of murder and manslaughter, one count of attempted murder, five counts each of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and theft, and six counts of acts intended to cause grievous harm. Other offences included grievous harm, unlawful wounding, arson, attempted arson, serious assault and damaging property.

Among the accused were nine juveniles and four police officers. The police officers were charged with acts intended to cause grievous harm over the alleged assault of a man during a 2023 drug raid. The matter has been remitted to the Magistrates' Court.

The ODPP also reported that three 16-year-old boys and an 18-year-old man were charged with one count of manslaughter over the alleged assault of a 33-year-old man, while a 19-year-old co-accused had earlier been charged with murder.

In another case, four juveniles were charged with aggravated burglary and theft after allegedly breaking into a man's home and stealing groceries and $1240 in cash. A separate case involved two juveniles and an 18-year-old man charged with aggravated robbery over the alleged theft of a mobile phone from a 26-year-old woman.

The ODPP's monthly statistics cover indictments filed in the High Court for serious non-sexual offences. Sexual violence offences are reported separately.