Brett Daniel Shehadey
Special Contributor for In Homeland Security
In California, Saudi Arabian Princess Meshael Alayban was charged by local prosecutors in July for slavery- forcing her Kenyan maid to work less for $220, instead of $1,600 per month in the two-year worker’s contract. She also claimed she worked 16 hours per day and not eight and that Princess Alayban took her passport away from her, leaving her trapped and dependent.
She said she had to escape and then sought the local authorities in Orange County. Her lawyer, Steve Barick held that, “My client was a slave to this woman.” Keeping her in a condominium in Irvine, California laboring seven days a week with no time off.
Perhaps this was a case of fraud to get money from a Saudi royal. Perhaps the maid learned to use the system against her “boss” or maybe she tried to legitimately seek refuge and was tossed in the wind by local justice. Perhaps it was an exaggeration of a truth.
Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas initially thought he had enough evidence for a case and then later today at the hearing told the judge that there was not enough evidence to corroborate the Kenyan woman’s story. This may be the problem of the “burden of proof” in human trafficking cases.
It is completely possible that Princess Alayban was innocent and the trial was rightly thrown out, in her favor, over her servant’s. The defense attorney for Princess Alayban showed the court tapes of her maid enjoying herself and happy.
Maybe there is a little bit of cultural clutter involved. In many countries like Kenya or Saudi Arabia, a servant’s work can take a 16 hour a day. Human trafficking is not an uncommon practice in those countries as well, but it is well disguised. And also, the maid might have been enjoying her status as maid to a Princess and fine quality luxuries while also trapped in a quarters without permission to leave. All was going well- and then- a dispute sparked this attempt. A likely scenario of the truths from both of the defendant and accused (being cleared).
It does not hurt when the Saudi consulate gets involved…and then there is something awfully sly about that smile. What will happen to the maid now?
Comments are closed.