THE victim in the first case of modern day slavery is said to be “delighted” with yesterday's guilty verdict.
Mwanahanisi Mruke, 47, was made to work around 18 hours a day for Saeeda Khan and her children during a four year ordeal labelled “degrading” by officers.
She was supposed to be paid less than £40 a month, only £10 of which would have been available to the victim while in Britain, but Khan eventually stopped even those meager payments.
The 68-year-old Whitmore Road resident summoned her victim by ringing a bell, made her work even while recovering from an operation and kept her prisoner in her bungalow.
But she escaped with a nine-month suspended sentence at Southwark Crown Court yesterday and was ordered to pay £15,000 court costs along with £25,000 in compensation to Ms Mruke, equivalent to just over £6,000 for every year of her ordeal.
Detective Inspector Kevin Hyland, of the Met's specialist human trafficking unit, said: “She's delighted with the outcome. Her motivation was to stop someone else being trafficked, that makes it worth while.
“This most certainly should stop other people being trafficked.”
He added: “We are very pleased with the sentence. The judge has obviously taken all the facts into consideration.
“We are very pleased the victim has been awarded £25,000 in compensation which would be a lot to anyone.”
The full details of the sentence are still to be explained to the victim, who does not speak English.
Ms Mruke has been given indefinite leave to remain in Britain and is said to be planning on staying in the country.
She is being supported by the UK Border Agency.
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