Slavery charge issued against B.C. woman

A warrant has beenissuedfor the arrest of a West Vancouver woman accused of keeping a slave.

The Crown laidone charge ofhuman trafficking and a charge ofhuman smuggling against the woman after investigating a report from a 21-year-old femalewho was allegedly recruited from Africa with a promise of a job in a West Vancouver hair salon, said RCMP Const. Michael McLaughlin.

"When she got here the reality was very different," McLaughlin said Monday. "She was working up to 18 hours a day, seven days a week in a private home. She wasn't paid. Her identity [papers] and passport were kept by the owner of the home and she wasn't getting enough food."

McLaughlin said the woman was fed table scraps, had to wash the cars of people who came to visit the house and wasn't allowed to go to bed until the owners had retired.

The young woman left the home in June 2009 after living there for one year and made her wayto a women's shelter, police said.

Such charges rare

The shelter was able to provide immediate support for her while an RCMP human trafficking team started its investigation with help from West Vancouver Police, said McLaughlin.

Chargedis West Vancouver resident Mumtaz Ladha.

McLaughlin said Ladha, 55, is not currently at her residence, prompting thewarrantfor her arrest.

The victim's allegations have not been proven in court.

McLaughlin said it's only the second timesuch chargeshave been laid in B.C.