Georgetown: Sharlene Oxley has been jailed for three years and ordered to pay $2M in compensation to a 23-year-old woman she trafficked to French Guiana and forced into prostitution. Oxley has to pay compensation to the victim, she was given no alternative.
Oxley, 51, of 208 Pattensen, East Coast Demerara, was convicted for engaging in Trafficking in Persons (TIP). She recruited, transported, transferred and harboured the woman – who was at the time in a relation with her brother’s stepson – for sexual exploitation.
During her ruling yesterday, Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan told the court that she was satisfied with the evidence led by Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers.
According to the Chief Magistrate, the evidence proves that Oxley was aware the woman was prostituting and even took proceeds the woman earned from doing it.
Oxley’s attorney Dexter Todd had told the court that the victim plotted with his client’s niece to make a false report against her. Todd argued that the victim was at the time a consenting adult and appeared sensible.
The lawyer disclosed that Oxley’s niece – who also resides in French Guiana – and Oxley, were not on friendly terms and prompted the victim to make the allegation against his client.
Todd also argued that there was no evidence to support that the victim was forced into prostitution by his client.
Oxley had admitted to Prosecutor Jeffers that she took the woman Cayenne, French Guiana illegally via the backtrack route, since she was not in possession of a visa.
In fact, Oxley told the court that she was unaware if prostitution occurs in Cayenne, although she has been living there for the past 26 years. But denied receiving €219 from the victim, monies the woman earned from prostituting.
Attorney Todd argued that Oxley took the woman to take care of her younger daughter, since she was expected to be out of the country.
Todd pointed out that the victim was an invited guest at his client’s home, where they shared a good relationship, and there was no evidence to prove that her movements were controlled.
“From the time she (victim) entered French Guiana she kept her passport and she testified that the passport remained with her in a separate room. She also kept her cell phone, which she testified was in working order for over two years. At no time did she indicate to the court that Ms. Oxley had control of those things.”
Todd pointed out that the woman was not prevented or stopped from communicating with persons around the world since she had access to the internet.
He said, “She had so much access to the internet that she was able to setup a Facebook account for Oxley.”
On September 5, the Chief Magistrate found businesswoman, Joyce Lawrence guilty of trafficking her then 16-year-old niece for the purpose of labour exploitation and unlawfully withholding her national identification card.
The sentence as it relates to TIP was an order by the court for Lawrence to pay $884,000 as restitution to the victim, with an alternative of 12 months imprisonment.
Lawrence was also fined $50,000 on the charge of withholding the identification document or, in default, eight weeks’ jail.
Chief Magistrate McLennan had found the 43-year-old woman guilty of trafficking the underage girl between December 12 and 14, 2014, at her home in Samatta Point, Grove, East Bank Demerara, by means of threat.
The Chief Magistrate had said, “Trafficking in person is a crime that inflicts harm on the most vulnerable in society. It is an example of modern day slavery which cannot be tolerated.”
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