New Zealand's first slavery trial to enter second week in the High Court in Napier

Napier, NEW ZEALAND — New Zealand's first court trial involving slavery and human trafficking charges has ended its first week in the High Court in Napier and will resume today (New Zealand time).

The trial before Justice Helen Cull and a jury started on Monday last week with horticultural and viticultural contractor Joseph Matamata, also known as Viliamu Samu, pleading not guilty to 13 charges of dealing in slaves and 11 of human trafficking relating to arrangements to bring people firm home-country Samoa to work in New Zealand between late 1994 and April 2019.

The court is expected to hear from all 13 complainants, with an interpreter beside the accused throughout the trial which is expected to last about five weeks.

Read more at New Zealand Herald