For alleged involvement in human trafficking, two women, Osunabi Fatimoh and Olayinka Eniola, were today convicted and sentenced to 24 months imprisonment by Justice Hadizat Rabiu-Shagari of a Federal High Court, Lagos.
The judge sentenced the two after finding them guilty as charged by the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP).
The judge found them guilty of two counts, out of three counts charges preferred against them.
Their offences bordering on conspiracy and trafficking in person contravene sections 15(a),16, 19(b)of the Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Law Enforcement and Administration Act 2003 as amended and punishable under the same section of the Act.
While delivering judgement, Justice Rabiu-Shagari held that the prosecution had successfully proved the charges against them beyond every reasonable doubt.
The judge also held that the two convicted women were unable to contradict all prosecution’s evidence, and added that they also admitted committing the offences in their confessional statements.
Justice Rabiu-Shagari, after sentencing the convicts, held that the period of their jail term starts from 7th December 2022.
The convicts were arraigned sometime in 2016, over the allegation that sometime in December 2014 at Ibeju-Lekki area, Epe Expressway, procured Yilu M (f) 21 for prostitution in Libya.
However, during trial, NAPTIP’s counsel, Mrs Becky Jibo, called two witnesses, the victim of the crime, who was trafficked to Libya, for prostitution, and the Investigation Officer, who both testified against the convicts.
The prosecutor equally tendered the convicts’ confessional statements, as well as the statement of the victim.