In June of last year, when government was nervous because the U.S. State Department had put it on a human trafficking watch list, Extra House owner Jitendra Chawla, better known as Jack Charles was arrested and charged for human trafficking. His relatives and workers who live in his home were held against their will at a so-called safe house for a weekend. But when we spoke to the supposed human cargo they told us that they were completely happy with their employer and content with the fairly posh living arrangements he had made for them.
Still Uncle Sam wanted stats, so authorities went ahead and charged Chawla. And, predictably, today in court, the case against Chawla collapsed. Prosecutor Inspector Linden Flowers called the supposed victims 5 men and 1 woman to testify and they told him the same thing that they had told us: they were free, happy and content. So, no victim, no crime, and today we caught up with Jack Charles who says he feels vindicated.
Jack Charles, Acquitted
"As we know from day one, that there was no case and we just got the message officially today from the authorities and the case was dismissed."
Keith Swift,
Do you feel vindicated?
Jack Charles,
"Yes I do feel vindicated but it's the same feeling that I had from day one, because I knew that at the end of the day I was going to win. It was just a formality, the procedures for me to go through."
Keith Swift,
You angry that you had to go through this?
Jack Charles,
"Well yes I am kind of angry, any Belizean would be angry. I was harassed."
Alfonso Noble,
Do you feel that you were harassed needlessly, that this completely a useless exercise, to drag you to the court and embarrass you? Was it needless?
Jack Charles,
"Well it was totally a waste of time, a waste of time for the prosecution...definitely for me, I don't know about the prosecution but it was a waste of time for me. They took a lot of time, there were a few adjournments in the past and finally we processed our case and finished it. If you do recall, in a past interview I did say that I am going to put a suit against the authorities who high handed me."
Despite the farcical case against Charles, the statistical spike worked out as Belize has been removed from the tier three human trafficking watch list.
