Published: Tuesday April 2, 2013 MYT 5:57:00 PM
Aussie brothel keeper found guilty of Malaysian sex slavery
MELBOURNE: A woman has been found guilty of forcing young women from Malaysia into sexual servitude at a Sydney brothel.
Wong Chee Mei, 37, had pleaded not guilty to conducting a business involving the sexual servitude of others and six counts of employing and exploiting non-citizens in breach of their visas, reports the Australian Associated Press.
After just one day of deliberating last week, the jury in the district court trial returned guilty verdicts to all seven charges.
The crown case was that Wong, also known as 'Yoko', ran the Diamonds brothel at Willoughby in Sydney's north between 2008 and 2010.
The jury was told she employed six women of Indian background who were recruited in Malaysia and sent to Australia on student visas.
The women were told they would have to work until they paid off the cost of their airfare, visa and course fees - amounting to a debt of about A$5,000 (RM 16,143.).
One of the women told the court she worked 17-hour days at the brothel, 11am to 4am, was fined A$10 (RM 32) if she was late and couldn't leave the brothel without permission during working hours.
Wong's defence barrister, Bruce Quinn, told the court Wong had only worked at the brothel as a receptionist, but that account was rejected by the jury.
Wong will face a sentence hearing on May 31. - Bernama
