Genital mutilation trial continues in Qld

The trial of a husband and wife accused of sending their daughters to Africa to undergo genital mutilation will continue in Queensland.

The couple, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty on Monday as the trial got underway at the Beenleigh District Court.

Both have been charged with two counts each of removing a child from Queensland for genital mutilation.

It's the first instance of a criminal case reaching the state's courts under laws that came into effect 18 years ago banning female genital mutilation.

The pair are accused of sending the two girls to Africa for the procedure in April 2015, when the children were nine and 12.

The trial is expected to last at least five days.