KLANG, April 29 ― A police inspector accused of raping two Mongolian women earlier this month has claimed trial to two counts of human trafficking charges at the Sessions Court today.

Hazrul Hizham Ghazali, 30, was accused of exploiting two Mongolian women for sex at a hotel in Petaling Jaya between April 10, 10.30pm and April 11, 8.20pm in two separate charges.

Each charge was framed under Section 13(f) of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act which covers the offence of trafficking a person for the purpose of exploitation through abuse of power.

A conviction could result in imprisonment of between three and 20 years as well as a fine.

The women's names and ages were withheld in accordance with Section 58 of the Atipsom Act to protect their identities.

The accused later pleaded not guilty to each charge before Sessions Court judge Tasnim Abu Bakar.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohammad Al-Saifi Hashim prosecuted, while Hazrul Hizham was represented by lawyer Shah Rizal Abdul Manan.

In mitigation, Shah Rizal requested for a lowered bail as his client has been suspended from his duties and cooperative with the police throughout the investigation.

Tasnim then fixed bail at RM10,000 for each charge with one surety.

She also ordered the accused to surrender his passport and present himself at a police station monthly until the conclusion of the trial.

The court then fixed the case for mention on June 17.

The suspect was previously arrested after police raided a boutique hotel in Petaling Jaya and rescued two Mongolian women who had been kept there against their will.

The two women alleged that they were stopped at a roadblock in the district during the enforced movement control order (MCO) nationwide while they were on their way home.

Upon finding out that the two victims had no valid travel documents on them, the suspect reportedly took advantage of the situation and forcefully took them to a nearby hotel where he allegedly raped them.