Australian Couple's Slavery Conviction Nets Them Hefty Fines and Forfeited Assets

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An Australian court has handed down a fresh penalty to a couple who enslaved a woman from India for eight years. Kandasamy Kannan, 61, and his wife Kumuthini, 58, were sentenced to six and eight years in prison, respectively, in 2021 for their role in the heinous crime. The couple, who were born in India, had forced the woman to work as a domestic servant in their home in Melbourne, Australia, without pay or any means of escape. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have now ordered the couple to forfeit the proceeds from the sale of their home, worth approximately AUD 1.4 million, and pay a combined penalty of AUD 140,000. The couple's equity in the property, valued at AUD 475,000, was restrained by the authorities in 2022. The victim, who was granted an ex gratia payment of AUD 485,000 in 2023, had been subjected to physical and verbal abuse, and was largely confined to the couple's home. She was forced to care for the couple's children and perform household chores without any compensation. The case highlights the plight of many victims of modern slavery, who are often forced into servitude and subjected to severe physical and emotional abuse. The authorities have praised the victim for her bravery in coming forward and seeking justice. The AFP's Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT) has sought to recover the assets obtained by the couple through their crimes, including the sale of their home and any benefits they may have derived from the victim's labor. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting the rights of vulnerable individuals and holding perpetrators of modern slavery accountable for their crimes.