Richest family in UK: Hinduja family members found guilty of exploiting dia servants - Court - BBC News Pidgin (2024)

One Swiss court don sentence four members of UK richest family go prison sentences wey range from four to four-and-a-half years.

Di court find Prakash and Kamal Hinduja plus dia son Ajay and im wife Namrata guilty of exploitation - usury for di Swiss penal code - and illegal employment.

But dem find dem innocent on di more serious charge of human trafficking.

Workers wey dem bring ova from India bin allege say di family dey pay dem as little as £7 ($8) to work 18-hour a day, and e less pass a tenth of di amount wey dey required under Swiss law.

Dem also claim say di family – wey dia fortune dey estimated at around £37bn – no dey too allow dem comot di house, for Geneva wealthy neighbourhood of Cologny.

During di trial, prosecutors allege say di family dey spend more on dia dog pass dia servants.

Di senior Hindujas, wey dia age don pass 70, bin no attend di court proceedings, as dem plead ill health. Ajay and Namrata bin dey present, but dem no dey court to hear di verdict.

Di Geneva prosecutor don call for dia immediate detention.

Charges against di Hinduja family

Di Hinduja family, wey worth an estimate of £37bn ($47bn), bin dey accused of exploitation and human trafficking.

Di family get dia own villa for Geneva wealthy neighbourhood of Cologny, and di charges against dem all relate to say, dem dey import servants from India to look afta dia children and household.

E dey alleged say Prakash and Kamal Hinduja, togeda wit dia son Ajay and im wife Namrata, seize dia staff passports, pay dem shikini moni as little as $8 (£7) for 18-hour days, and give dem little freedom to comot from di house.

Although dem reach one financial settlement on top exploitation last week, di Hindujas still dey on trial for trafficking, wey be serious criminal offence for Switzerland.

Dem deny di charges.

Dis week for court, one of Geneva most famous prosecutors, Yves Bertossa, compare di almost $10,000 a year e claim say di family don spend on dia dog, to di daily amount dem allegedly dey pay dia servants.

Hinduja family lawyers no specifically deny di allegations of low wages, but say dem need to view am in context – as di staff dey also receive free accommodation and food.

Dem also question di charge of long hours, as one defence lawyer argue say to watch feem wit di Hinduja children no suppose really dey classed as work.

Some former servants wey testify for di Hindujas, describe dem as friendly family wey treat dia servants wit dignity.

But di accuse say dem seize dia servants’ passports, plus di accuse say dem no fit leave di house without permission, dey serious, because dem fit judge am as human trafficking.

Oga Bertossa dey ask for prison terms, and millions of dollars in compensation plus legal fees.

What to know about di Hinduja family

Di Hinduja family na im get di Hinduja Group, one multinational group wit interests in oil, gas, and banking.

Na di family also get Raffles hotel for London.

Gopichand Hinduja, wey belong to di second generation, bin take ova as chairman afta im older brother Srichand Hinduja die for May 2023.

Di family get valuable real estate for London, including di Raffles London hotel, wey dey di historic Old War Office building for Whitehall, wey dem open wit plenty fanfare for September 2023.

While Gopichand dey live for London, im younger brother Prakash dey live for Monaco while di youngest sibling Ashok dey oversee dia Indian interests from Mumbai.

Di Hinduja brothers get network of rich and influential friends wey include senior British politicians, former US President Bill Clinton and Queen Elizabeth.

Na dia father, Parmanand Deepchand Hinduja start di empire. E bin dey buy and sell goods for di Sindh region of India (now Pakistan) before e move go Iran for 1919.

Di Hinduja brothers bin shift dia base from Iran to London for 1979.

One of dia homes for London na Carlton House Terrace, e dey close to Buckingham Palace.

Dark side of Geneva

Dis no go be di first time wey Geneva, one centre for international organisations and area wey wealthy pipo dey stay go dey for spotlight on top alleged mistreatment of servants.

For 2008, police arrest Hannibal Gaddafi, son of Libya former dictator Muammar Gaddafi for im five star Geneva hotel on top information wey dem get say im and im wife dey beat dia servants, including wit a coat hanger.

Dem later drop di case. But e cause big diplomatic row between Switzerland and Libya, e lead to di arrest of two Swiss citizens for Tripoli as a retaliatory measure.

For July 2023, four domestic workers from di Philippines bin launch case against one of Geneva diplomatic missions to di United Nations, wey claim say dem no dey paid for years.

Di Hinduja ongoing, high profile case go draw attention, once again, to di darker, uglier side of di city wey call imelf "di city of peace".