The State will be proceeding by way of paper committal in the human trafficking matters against policeman Valentine Eastman, state attorney Trevor Jones says.
Jones, in his first appearance in the matter on Thursday, told Deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington that there were 18 prosecution witnesses, but said none of their statements had been filed as yet.
Eastman, 52, the first person in the country to be charged under the Trafficking in Persons Act 2011, is facing ten offences. The alleged victims are three Colombian women.
Jones reminded the magistrate in the San Fenrando First Court that under the act, the matter is to be heard in camera and the names of the witnesses cannot be mentioned by the press.
He said the Colombian Embassy has requested that three victims leave the country and return when the inquiry begins.
Eastman, who has 25 years’ service, was last assigned to the Mon Repos Police Station and lives in Princes Town.
The charges allege that during the month of March, Eastman transported the women to Vistabella for the purpose of exploiting them for prostitution and received the women into the country or transported or harboured them for the purpose of exploitation.
He is out on $350,000 bail and is required to report to the Princes Town Police Station four days a week between 8 am and 8 pm. The matter was adjourned to September 9.