Man Accused of Trafficking 21-Year-Old Employee

Tonight, a shocking case of alleged human trafficking has come to light involving an Indian national. Forty-six-year-old Harish Kishanchand, the owner of Chic’s and Harry’s Import in Belize City, stands accused by his former employee of withholding food, pay, and even his passport. The accuser, a twenty-one-year-old Indian national, claims that while still in India, he was offered a job as a salesperson through a broker, with promises of six-hour workdays from Monday to Friday and a monthly salary of twenty-five thousand Indian Rupees, to be deposited into his family’s account. He was also assured of travel and accommodation arrangements, along with a worker’s permit and visa. However, upon arriving in Belize, the reality was starkly different. The victim alleges that his passport and cellphone were confiscated, and he was not allowed to travel unsupervised. He further claims he was subjected to beatings, forced to work from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week, and was only fed leftover food twice a day. This morning, Kishanchand, represented by attorney Jacqueline Willoughby, was informed that he will stand trial for human trafficking. He was granted bail set at six thousand dollars, with an equal surety, which he met this afternoon.