JOHOR BAHRU, Nov 26 — A 22-year-old salesman claimed trial in the Sessions Court here today to three charges of deceiving a man and two teenagers for labour exploitation between March and May.

The accused, Vincent Sak Zhan Sheng, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out to him before Judge Hidayatul Syuhada Shamsudin.

For the first two charges, Sak was charged together with five others who had been accused of conspiring to traffic two teenagers, a 15-year-old female and a 16-year-old male, for the purpose of labour exploitation at a house in Taman Lagenda Putra in Kulai, between April and May 23 this year.

The two charges were framed under Section 14 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act 2007, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code on common intention, which carries a life sentence or a minimum of five years’ imprisonment and whipping upon conviction.

For the third charge, Sak was charged, along with five others, with having a common intention of trafficking a 26‑year‑old man for labour exploitation at the same location between March 23 and May 23.

The accused was charged under Section 12 of Atipsom 2007, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum imprisonment of 20 years and a fine upon conviction.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Amirah Tasnim Saleh proposed a bail sum of RM75,000 for all charges, with three additional conditions, namely reporting to the nearest police station every month, surrendering his international passport to the court and barring him from harassing the trial’s witnesses and victims.

Defence counsel Datin Freda Sabapathy, representing the accused, requested a lower bail, on the grounds that her client only earns RM3,500 monthly and supports his mother, a single parent.

She also requested that the accused’s international passport not be handed over to the court as he frequently travels to China for work as a salesman.

The court then allowed a RM30,000 bail amount for all of Sak’s charges, along with three additional conditions as proposed earlier by the prosecution.

The court set January 13 next year for mention and the submission of case documents.