Pregnant Woman Accused of Human Trafficking Denied Bail

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – A pregnant woman accused of human trafficking has been denied bail.

Prosecutors allege that 35-year-old Jamaican national Apolonia McClean trafficked a woman for the purpose of exploitation between September 1, 2023, and November 3, 2023.

McClean is also accused of transporting the woman with the intention to traffic her and conspiracy to commit trafficking in persons.

McClean denied the allegations at her arraignment before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley and was denied bail.

Her trial is set for November 21.

According to McClean’s lawyer, she’s seven weeks pregnant and is nursing a seven-month-old.

McClean, who’s married to a Bahamian, was previously convicted of human trafficking in 2004.

She was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison after a magistrate found that she forced a woman into prostitution after tricking her into thinking she’d come from Jamaica to work as a cashier.