The 2019 death of Jerwin Royupa, a worker from the Philippines, has been referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for an investigation.
The decision was made after the completion of a coronial inquest, which was held last month.
Filipino Worker’s Death Referred for AFP Investigation
According to a report by ABC News, Deputy State Coroner Rebecca Hosking said that Royupa, who was only 21 years old at the time of his death, was “exploited” by his employer while he worked at a vineyard in New South Wales.
The Canberra Times notes that the employer cannot be named due to legal reasons.
Royupa is said to have been made to work 60 hours a week without the training promised to him.
The inquest also discovered that Royupa was promised an allowance that was “wholly inadequate” and that he was made to work in excessive heat. He likewise did not have access to his passport and did not receive 200 hours’ worth of pay.
The referral to the AFP is one of the six recommendations Magistrate Hosking provided. Another recommendation asks the minister of Home Affairs to conduct an internal review with “respect to the potential lessons learned.”
Who Is Jerwin Royupa?
Jerwin Royupa took up Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and had made the journey to Australia to gain. He arrived on a 407 training visa in February 2019.
According to the report of ABC News, the young worker grew fearful of a certain “operator one” sometime March 10 and 14, 2019.
Five weeks after arriving in Australia, he died after fleeing a moving vehicle being driven by the sponsor of his training visa. Royupa is said to have fled after he was threatened to be brought to the police station or airport.
According to The Canberra Times, the training visa sponsor delayed calling an ambulance to get the already-bleeding worker the needed attention and help.
The 21-year-old died “due to blunt-force injuries.”
