A woman with ties to Papua New Guinea is facing serious charges in Australia, accused of luring young Papua New Guineans with promises of education scholarships and then forcing them to work on farms. She has been charged with human trafficking and debt bondage offences.
The woman, who holds dual Australian and Nigerian citizenship and is based in PNG, was arrested at Brisbane Airport in Australia on Wednesday after arriving from Papua New Guinea.
Australian federal police allege that between 2021 and 2023, fifteen PNG nationals who travelled to Australia for study were instead forced to work against their will. Some were allegedly made to work seven days a week and up to ten hours a day.
The 56-year-old woman is accused of enticing these young people, aged between 19 and their mid-30s, to Queensland, Australia, with the false promise of education scholarships.
It’s alleged that these students were forced to sign legal documents and agree to repay costs for tuition, airfares, visa applications, insurance, and legal fees.
There are also allegations that she threatened their family members back here in Papua New Guinea.
Police claim the woman made the students work on farms across Queensland, which is against their visa conditions, and that she received their wages directly as repayment for their supposed debts.
The Australian Federal Police have described these allegations as deeply troubling.
“These are individuals who are young, that’s a point of vulnerability,” AFP Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer said.
“They’re extremely isolated. They are pursuing an education, a dream to come here to Australia, opportunities that they don’t get in their own country, and they’re placed into a position that they weren’t prepared for and didn’t know how to get out of.”
He added that some of the victims are still in Australia and are receiving support from the Red Cross.
The woman appeared in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday and was charged with 31 offences.
These include four counts of trafficking in persons, which can lead to a maximum of 12 years in prison, and 13 counts of debt bondage, which is a form of modern slavery. She was granted bail and is expected to return to court on September 19.
Source: Australian Associated Press