The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE trial of a man and woman who were accused of conspiring to sexually exploit two teenage girls through human trafficking opened before the Chief Magistrate yesterday.

In March, Jamalaya Roberts, 40, and Shamika Rolle, 28, were each charged with two counts of conspiracy to engage in human trafficking and transporting a person for the purpose of exploiting their prostitution.

Rolle was further charged with two additional counts of the latter offence.

According to court dockets, it is alleged that the pair between February 1 and March 4, at New Providence, conspired to engage in the trafficking of two 16-year-old girls.

The accused are also accused of conspiring to engage in the transportation of the teens in the country “for the purpose of prostitution”.

The prosecution said Rolle also transported the young girls for the “purpose of their exploitation” within that same timeframe.

At their second court appearance that same month, the Department of Public Prosecutions brought additional charges against the pair.

This time, the Crown also accused Rolle of creating nude video recordings of the two 16-year-old girls on one of their mobile devices while at the Smith’s Motel and distributing nude video images of the minors onto the internet sometime between February 28 and March 4.

Both accused were further charged with intentionally and unlawfully possessing the nude video images of the teenagers within that same timeframe.

At the time, Roberts and Rolle denied all of the allegations and their case was adjourned for trial.

Yesterday, two officers of the Royal Bahamas Police Force submitted photographic evidence and spoke about the roles they each played in the investigation.

The first officer, Detective Corporal Rudolph Sweeting said he took 12 photographs of an “alleged human trafficking scene” on Armbrister Close on March 21.

He said he visited the duplex apartment with another officer and a male suspect around 11.50 on the night in question.

He said while there, he received certain information from another officer, and as a result, photographed the exterior and interior of the white-trimmed green apartment building.

The court was told that the photo album submitted by Officer Sweeting included pictures of the building’s front door, living room, bathroom and studio.

When cross-examined by Robert and Rolle’s attorney, Ian Cargill, Cpl Sweeting said the apartment was the residence of the male suspect who accompanied him and the other officer to the duplex that night.

When asked if he was led or shown anything that could be suspected to be semen, blood, or any other substance of forensic value, he replied “no”. He also said neither defendant was present when the photos were taken.

Detective Sergeant Austin Bowles was the second officer to take the stand.

During his testimony, he said he spoke with a police inspector who pointed out a grey vehicle and asked him to photograph it.

He said the eight pictures he snapped of the car’s interior and exterior were then compiled on a CD to present in court. Sgt Bowles said on March 20, he saw and spoke to another officer who gave him instructions and handed over two tubes of blood samples bearing the name Jamalaya Roberts.

He said the samples were later submitted to the lab in reference to a DNA.

At the beginning of the proceedings yesterday, Mr Cargill informed the court that Rolle, who is currently pregnant, was not feeling well and wanted to see a doctor.

As a result, after taking the evidence of the two officers, Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt adjourned the case.

She said in the circumstances, she would give Rolle a letter from the court requesting that she be seen by a physician “as soon as reasonably practicable”.

The case is expected to resume tomorrow at noon.