Thirty-seven-year-old Herman Junior Nickels, a security officer, appeared yesterday before Chief Magistrate (ag) Faith McGusty on charges of assisting others in human trafficking.
The charges allege that between August 1 and August 22, 2024, at the Red Dragon Nightclub on Robb Street, Nickels facilitated the sexual exploitation of two Venezuelan nationals.
Nickels pleaded not guilty to both charges. The prosecution informed the court that this was not the first time Nickels had faced similar allegations. However, his attorney countered, claiming Nickels had been detained beyond the legally mandated 72-hour period without appearing before the court, calling it a violation of his constitutional rights. The defence also emphasized that this was Nickels’ first official encounter with the law and requested reasonable bail terms.