Ashok Kumar, 58, of Fangaloto has been convicted and sentenced to seven and a half years’ imprisonment for trafficking a Fijian woman under the false pretence of employment.
The Supreme Court found Kumar guilty of one count of trafficking in persons for organising the entry of Miliana Raluve, 36, from Fiji to Tonga in October 2024.
He had lured her with a fabricated job offer at the Tanoa Hotel, promising a wage of $10 per hour.
A Desperate Search Exploited
According to evidence presented by Crown Counsel, Kumar contacted the complainant, a mother of three, on Facebook in September 2024. Capitalising on her desperation to support her family, he offered her the hotel job, paid for her airfare, and obtained her passport details under the guise of immigration processing.
Upon her arrival on October 4, the reality was starkly different. The court heard that Kumar did not resemble his Facebook profile, his home was not as described, and no employment existed.
Isolated and with no local contacts, the woman testified to feeling terrified when Kumar made three separate attempts to have sex with her, all of which she refused.
“She was misled by the defendant with false promises of employment,” Crown Counsel stated.
“She discovered upon arrival that the living arrangements were not as described and she had no relatives or friends in Tonga.”
Intervention and Arrest
After enduring several days of fear, the victim sought help from a cousin who is a police officer. Kumar was arrested on October 8 after the victim reported feeling unsafe and fearing for her life when he confronted her about her complaints.
In a police interview, Kumar admitted to arranging her travel but denied promising employment before purchasing the ticket—a claim the court rejected based on the evidence.
In a victim impact statement, the woman expressed her relief at Kumar’s arrest, stating she has since moved on with her life.
While she told the court she had forgiven him, she expressed shock that “someone of his age would act in such a manner.”
Sentencing
The Crown had recommended a starting point of 10 years’ imprisonment. In delivering the sentence, Justice Tupou KC considered the predatory nature of the crime, the victim’s vulnerability, and the breach of trust.
Kumar was ultimately sentenced to seven and half years. The final six months of the sentence are suspended for 12 months on condition that he does not commit any offence punishable by imprisonment. He must report to the probation office within 48 hours of his release and will be placed under probation.
The suspended sentence is intended to serve as a strong incentive for his rehabilitation upon release.
The conviction underscores ongoing regional concerns about human trafficking and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals through false promises of work.
