BALIK PULAU: A Nigerian woman was promised a job as a domestic helper by a fellow countryman but was forced into prostitution instead.
At night, syndicate members would bring her to entertainment outlets in George Town looking for potential customers. The charge for each session was between RM150 and RM500.
Her ordeal lasted nearly two months before she managed to escape from her captors and file a complaint with the embassy.
She was then taken to a police station to file a report.
Police have since arrested two couples – a local woman and three Nigerians, one of whom is a woman.
Initial investigations showed the couples, aged between 24 and 37, had been involved in this illicit trade since January this year.
Balik Pulau OCPD Asst Comm Sazalee Adam said the 25-year-old victim arrived in the country on Oct 10 after accepting the job offer.
He said the victim had known one of the Nigerians who was in Malaysia
“She came to Penang believing she would be working as a domestic helper.
“However, she was horrified when she was forced into the flesh trade. During the day, she was held captive at a house in Bayan Lepas.
“She managed to escape last Thursday and is now placed at a protection centre,” ACP Sazalee said during a press conference at the district police headquarters yesterday.
Acting on provided information, a police team raided the house on Saturday.
They picked up the suspects and investigations revealed that the foreigners had entered the country in January on tourist visas.
“The modus operandi of the syndicate is to lure women from Nigeria with promises of other jobs. Upon arrival, these women would be forced into vice-related activities.
“We are trying to determine if there are more victims. All the suspects were remanded for seven days,” he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
