Sisters Seta Sanjana Ram and Geeta Anjana Chandar have been charged with 35 counts which includes 17 counts of trafficking in persons, 16 counts of obtaining property by deception and 2 counts of money laundering.*

The matter was called yesterday in the Suva High Court before Justice Daniel Goundar.

The two were alleged to have facilitated the travel of 17 Fijian citizens who were exploited through slavery and became victims of human trafficking in New Zealand between April and September and obtained a total of $52 142 from the 17 complainants by deception.

For the money laundering charges, it is alleged that Geeta Anjana Chandar between September 2017 and March 2017 disposed of $79,991.40 into a Bank of the South Pacific account and between February and May 2014, Seta Sanjana Ram allegedly disposed of $2,525 into two Australia and New Zealand bank accounts that were the proceeds of crime.

Ram appeared in court, while an arrest warrant is in place for her sister Chandar who is in Australia.

The State sought time to file information and disclosures.

Defense sought to make a formal bail application.

Ram has been further remanded in custody with the matter adjourned to the 28th of September for a bail hearing.