An acting headmistress who is accused of trafficking in persons almost one year ago at Bartica was yesterday refused bail by Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle.
Weslyn Benn, 39, an acting headmistress who resides at Itabali, Bartica pleaded not guilty to trafficking in persons when she appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
It is alleged that on October 23, 2006 at One Mile Potaro Road, Bartica, she trafficked in persons, two girls, by means of deception for the purpose of exploitation. The girls aged 12 and 16 were left with Benn.
Attorney-at-law Hukumchand represented Benn. He told the court that it was not a case of trafficking in persons. He said that his client had “taken in the girls”.
Police prosecutor Sherwin Matthews told the court that one of the girls reported in her statement that a male would visit her at the home. He stated that she said Benn knew that the male would take her out at nights and bring her back in the wee hours of the morning.
The case was transferred to the Bartica Magistrate’s Court for October 30.
