Kenneth Easwaran and wife charged for exploitation and forced labour
KLANG: Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s former president Tan Sri Kenneth Easwaran was today charged along with his wife, Vivienne on three counts of exploitation and forced labour involving three Indonesian domestic workers.
Kenneth whose real name is K Ketheswaran who is also known as KK Easwaran and his wife are facing charges under the Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
If found guilty, they would be locked up behind bars for upto 15 years along with a fine upto RM500,000.
Both pleaded not guilty when the charges were read out to them before Klang Sessions Court judge Roszianayati Ahmad.
Kenneth and Vivienne were accused of exploiting their three domestic workers for the purposes of forced labour from October 2012 to March 2019 at their home in Country Heights, Kajang.
The three domestic workers, between 25 and 41 years of age, worked at the Country Heights home for seven years, four years and six months, respectively.
They eventually sought help from the Indonesian embassy on March 22 when their employers were abroad.
Kenneth, 58, and Vivienne, 63, were represented by Shashi Devan and C Vijaya Kumar.
Roszianayati set bail at RM50,000 with one surety for each defendant and ordered for their passports to be surrendered to the court.
She also set May 3 for the next hearing.
The prominent businessman was close to the Najib administration prior to the 14th general election that saw the fall of the BN government.
