JUDGMENT

Amelia Tee Hong Geok Abdullah J:

[1] Soo Ah Lai ("the 1st appellant"), Yap Siew Ling ("the 2nd appellant") and Yap Siew Lee ("the 3rd appellant") were charged with three separate charges under s 13 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 ("ATIPSOM 2007") and were jointly tried together. The charges against the appellants were similar and read as follows:

"Bahawa kamu pada 18 February 2012 jam lebih kurang 3.30 petang di No 139, Jalan 2/62, Bandar Menjalara, Kepong di dalam Daerah Sentul, dalam Wilayah Persekutuan, Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur telah memperdagangkan CHHUM POV PP: N0738836 berumur 28 tahun bagi maksud eksploitasi dengan penggunaan kekerasan atau bentuk paksaan yang lain terhadap CHHUM POV PP: N0738836 dan dengan demikian kamu telah melakukan suatu kesalahan yang boleh dihukum di bawah s 13 Akta Antipermerdagangan Orang dan Antipenyeludupan Migran 2007".

[2] At the end of the prosecution case, the learned Hakim Mahkamah Sesyen ("HMS") had found that a prima facie case had been made out and had called on the three appellants to enter upon their defence. The appellants had elected to give their evidence on oath. At the end of the