MLA staffer describes ‘urgent’ rescue of alleged trafficking victim from Elrose basement

A staffer in the office of Saskatchewan Party MLA Doug Steele testified Monday in the ongoing Rosetown human trafficking trial, saying he was asked to help transport an alleged victim from a cold, unfinished basement in Elrose to a women’s shelter in Swift Current.

Sean Checkley, who works for Steele, told the court he was directed to the Elrose residence by the MLA in March 2023 and helped the woman, a Bangladeshi national, pack her belongings and leave the property. Checkley said the woman appeared “very nervous” and in a hurry to get out of the house.

“She was timid, shy, exhausted, and just wanted to leave,” he said, describing her emotional state.

Checkley recalled spending only a few minutes inside the basement, which he described as dimly lit, cold, and lacking basic privacy. “The downstairs was a wooden staircase leading to an unframed cement floor basement, which was cold, with very little lighting. In that basement, there was a shower that didn’t have walls around it, no curtain either,” he testified.

During the hour-long drive to Swift Current, Checkley said the woman thanked him multiple times despite a language barrier. Once at the shelter, he ensured she was safe with staff before returning to the MLA’s office, where he gave a statement to the RCMP.

“Originally, I didn’t have much information at all,” he told the court. “But after seeing how seriously she took it, I questioned to myself why I was there instead of the RCMP.”

Masum faces four charges, including human trafficking and three counts of sexual assault. Haider is charged with one count of human trafficking. The defence has argued that the complainant fabricated the allegations in an attempt to remain in Canada.

The trial continues this week in Rosetown Provincial Court.