Genital mutilation trial underway in Qld

A husband and wife accused of sending their daughters to Africa to undergo genital mutilation have pleaded not guilty to the charge in a Queensland court.

The trial for the couple, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, began at Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Monday, with each facing two counts 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, born in Africa, 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 up to five days.