A Sydney woman accused of possessing two Thai slaves told the women when they arrived in Australia they each owed her $45,000 and would pay it off through sex work, a jury has heard.
Rungnapha Kanbut, 57, is on trial in the NSW District Court after pleading not guilty to six charges including intentionally possessing a slave and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
Prosecutor Peter Neil SC in his opening address on Tuesday said both of the women had worked as sex workers in Asia when they separately agreed – in 2004 and 2005 – to travel to Australia for sex work.
The jury is expected to hear evidence that when they arrived in Sydney they were taken to live with Kanbut who told them they each had a $45,000 debt to pay off, Mr Neil said.
The trial continues.
