The woman accused of human smuggling denied knowing one of her accusers before finally surrendering the woman’s passport, an immigration officer testified at the trial yesterday.

Chevaneese Sasha Gaye-Hall, 24, is the first person to be charged for human trafficking in persons for prostitution in The Bahamas

In the second day of testimony at the Jamaican-native’s trial, jurors heard from Immigration Officer Chad Adams who said he responded to a complaint from one of Gaye-Hall’s accusers.

Officer Adams said a Jamaican woman (Woman A) told him that her travel documents were being withheld and that she had been threatened by the defendant.

The officer said Woman A directed him and a male police officer to an apartment complex she alleged was where she was being detained by the accused.

Officer Adams testified that in order to gain access to the property he and the male officer had to scale a fence. Afterwards, they went to apartment number one where they met the defendant.

He said, the accused, who was at the residence with another Jamaican woman (Woman B) denied both having Woman A’s documents and knowing her altogether.

She did however produce two Jamaican passports belonging to her and Woman B; both documents, the officer said, revealed that both women were in legal status.

The officer told the court that eventually Gayle-Hall and Woman A got into a heated exchange outside the residence and fearing that the situation would escalate he requested all three women come with him to the Central Police Station.

It was at the station where the officer said the accused eventually returned Woman A’s passport which showed she was in the country illegally. Woman A was subsequently taken into custody.

He said the defendant and Woman B were allowed to leave the station once they agreed to surrender their travel documents but eventually the accused was arrested and charged.

Gayle-Hall is represented by attorneys Jiaram Mangra, Brian Dorsett and Benjamin McKinney while Director of Public Prosecutions Vinette Graham-Allen leads the Crown’s team.

Testimony continues before Senior Justice Jon Isaacs.