Restaurant server jailed six years for trafficking teenage girl

A 20-year-old restaurant server has been sentenced to six years in prison in Tawau after admitting to trafficking a teenage girl for sexual exploitation. Nur Aisyah Udin pleaded guilty to the charge before Judge Ahmad Faizadh Yahaya.

The prosecution stated that the woman trafficked a 17-year-old girl for sexual exploitation at a guesthouse on Jalan Masjid Fajar on June 2, at approximately 5:30 p.m. The offense falls under Section 14 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, which carries a potential life sentence or a minimum of five years imprisonment, along with possible caning.

During the proceedings, the accused wept, pleading for a reduced sentence, citing her responsibility to support her mother and younger sibling. However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Nisla Abd Latif urged the court to impose a severe punishment as a deterrent to the accused and the public, highlighting the exploitation of the victim's hardship for the accused's livelihood. The court ultimately handed down the six-year prison sentence.

In addition to the trafficking sentence, the accused received a six-month prison term for entering Malaysia without valid identification. The court ordered both sentences to be served separately. Mobile phones and a hotel receipt used as evidence were ordered to be disposed of, while RM150 in cash was returned to the prosecution for further action.