Name discrepancy clouds Kenyan’s bail plea in 2023 trafficking case

PANAJI
A change of name added a fresh complication to the bail plea of a foreign national accused in a sex trafficking case, with the High Court of Bombay at Goa observing that the applicant had apparently approached the court under a different identity.
Justice S G Chapalgaonkar noted that the accused, Ouma Dorcas Ayako, was disclosed as Maria Dorcas alias Isralite in other offences. The court also took into account the nature of allegations and held that merely being behind bars for three years was not sufficient to warrant bail.
“Apparently, the present application is filed in a different name. In other offences her name is disclosed as Maria Dorcas alias Isralite, whereas in the present case, the application is filed in the name of Ouma Dorcas Ayako,” the Bench observed.
Ouma, a Kenyan national, as per the criminal application filed before the High Court, was arrested by Anjuna police on September 8, 2023 and chargesheeted in alleged sex trafficking. The trial is pending before the Sessions Judge at Mapusa. Her first bail application was rejected by the Fast Track Court, Mapusa, on March 11, 2024, while a second application was rejected on July 22, 2025.
Seeking bail, Ouma contended that the chargesheet did not establish that she had procured any girls for prostitution. Moreover, she had remained in custody for more than three years without any progress in the trial.
The applicant further contended there was no material to show that she had transported or harboured victims through force, threats or coercion for prostitution, and that allegations of soliciting customers and receiving payments were not corroborated by acceptable evidence.
The prosecution opposed the plea, pointing to the circumstances in which the three alleged victims were rescued.
“Although trial is not commenced in this case and possibility that it would take some time cannot be denied, this court finds that in the present case three victim girls who were trafficked and housed in two rooms by accused were rescued by the NGO. They disclosed that they were forced into prostitution activities. It appears that the applicant is involved in similar offences,” the court observed.
The Bench also noted that the applicant was a foreign national and held that there was a likelihood of her again becoming involved in human trafficking. “In this backdrop, merely because the applicant has been behind the bars for three years, application for bail cannot be considered,” it held, while rejecting her bail plea.
However, the court left open the possibility of a fresh plea if the trial does not move forward.