BALIK PULAU: Ten people were charged at the Sessions Court here today with promoting and advertising prostitution on an Australian-based international website.
Soay Say Hean, Teh Hang Wei, Karen Tang Xin Ying, Lay Cheak Joe, Jack Oon Han Jie, Lee Suet Yee, Beh Shing Ping, Ang Hooi Qian, Lim Shin Ghee and Beh Shin Yuan pleaded not guilty when the charge was jointly read to them before Judge Ahzal Fariz Ahmad Khairuddin.
The 10, aged between 21 and 33, are alleged to have jointly committed the offence by promoting and advertising prostitution online at www.escortsandbabes.com.au at a commercial premises in Bayan Baru about 5.30pm on Oct 20.
The charge was framed under Section 372(1)(e) of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same code, which provides for maximum 15 years imprisonment and whipping besides fine, upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Lim Jin Hong prosecuted while all the accused except for Tang were represented by counsel C Pang.
Jin Hong requested the court to set bail at RM15,000 for each of the accused, along with additional conditions for the accused to surrender their passports to the court and to report themselves on the 1st of every month at the nearest police station until the disposal of the case.
However, Pang appealed for bail to be reduced to RM5,000, saying all his clients had family to care for.
Meanwhile, K. Selva, who represented Tang, said the latter was just 21 years old and had only worked at the premises as a clerk for a month earning less than RM2,000.
The court set bail at RM6,500 with one surety each, along with the additional conditions.
The court also set Nov 30 for mention pending the submission of documents.
On Oct 22, the media reported that police arrested 11 individuals, aged between 21 to 65 years, suspected of conducting an online prostitution business targeting clients from Australia at a commercial premises in Bayan Baru, near here.
Police said they had conducted a two-day investigation before raiding the premises, which was located on the third floor of the building.
The modus operandi of this syndicate is to play the role of intermediaries through a website based in Australia to promote and advertise prostitution, targeting clients in that country.
Police found between 100 and 120 profiles of women offering sexual services displayed on the website.
The syndicate members were paid in Australian dollars, allowing them to generate an estimated income of about RM30,000 per day or approximately RM900,000 a month.