Saskatchewan court convicts two men in landmark human trafficking case

A Saskatchewan provincial court found Sohel Haider, 55, and Mohammed Masum, 44, guilty of human trafficking after a seven‑week trial. Judge Miguel Martinez also convicted Masum of three counts of sexual assault. The defendants exploited a Bangladeshi woman, identified only as S.K., who arrived in Canada on a visitor visa in August 2022. Haider recruited her through a job posting for the Empire Diner in Gull Lake, promised a work permit, and then isolated her, forcing her to work twelve‑hour shifts six days a week for little or no pay. He later moved her to Tisdale, continuing the exploitation and demanding large sums for a work permit. Crown prosecutor Leslie Dunning said the verdict sets a precedent, as it is the first human‑trafficking conviction in Saskatchewan, and may deter future abuses of temporary foreign workers and newcomers. Sentencing for the two men is pending.