Bail condition amendment sought for accused human trafficker

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on July 20, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

The lawyer for one of several people charged in relation to a human trafficking case appeared in Lethbridge provincial court Tuesday to adjourn his client’s case once again.

Calgary lawyer Rabie Ahmed represented Khaled Alsaid in provincial court Tuesday, in regards to a charge of failing to comply with release order conditions.

Ahmed who was in the court for another matter, and was not prepared to deal with the Alsaid matter, as he thought the matter was supposed to come back the following week. He told Judge Erin Olsen he might have misspoken on July 12 when asking for a week-long adjournment, as he usually gives the Crown a two-week turn around.

Ahmed said he needed to receive instructions from Crown Prosecutor Joe Mercier regarding bail conditions for Alsaid, and therefore the matter needed to be adjourned to July 26.

“I’ll reach out to Mr. Mercier and confirm his instructions and certainly whoever sits on the 26th, which is likely myself, can speak to it,” said Crown A. Zelmer who was present in the court Tuesday.

The matters were brought forward from trial dates to speak to an amendment to bail.

Alsaid is scheduled to stand trial Sept. 19 on one count of sexual assault. He is also scheduled to stand trial Dec. 21-23 on charges of sexual assault of a person under the age of 16, sexual contact with a child, and sexual counsel of a child.

According to police, Alsaid is a member of an alleged human trafficking ring which sexually exploited girls under the age of 18, and were charged in August 2021.

Alsaid is one of nine accused in the matter.

The accused who have been released on bail were ordered to reside with sureties, many of whom are family members and are required to report to police should the accused breach any of their bail conditions. The individuals must remain in their surety’s residence 24 hours a day, although there are exceptions for medical emergencies, employment, school, and court-related meetings. The accused are prohibited from having contact with any other accused and the complainants, and they must surrender their passports to police and not leave Alberta.
Police reported they learned several individuals had selected and groomed a 15-year-old girl and took her to specific locations where sex offences took place. The same individuals had also engaged in sexual activity with a 13-year-old girl.

-with files from Delon Shurtz

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