A Federal High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State has sentenced two men and one woman to jail for child trafficking.
The Convicts, 49-year-old Emeka Christopher, from Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra State; 30-year-old Kenneth Anajemba from Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State- and 29-year-old Esther David, from Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State, were arraigned by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons on June 28, 2018.
The first defendant, Emeka Christopher, was arrested by officers of the Nigerian Army at a chec-point in Jos while on transit with a five-year-old female victim to Anambra State.
Upon interrogation, he confessed that he bought the child from Kenneth Anajemba and Esther David, who had earlier abducted the girl from her mother’s house in Bukuru area of Jos.
They were subsequently arraigned on court on a three-count charge under sections 21, 13 and 27 of the Trafficking In Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration (TIPPEA), Act (2015).
The presiding Judge, Justice V. M. Agishi, having listened to the prosecuting and defence counsel, found the accused persons guilty and sentenced them accordingly.
Under section 21 of the TIPPEA Act, the first defendant was sentenced to four years imprisonment and a fine of N500,000, with failure to pay the fine to attract additional four years imprisonment.
The second and third accused persons were sentenced to two years imprisonment each, and a fine of N100,000 under section 13 of the TIPPEA Act.
Failure to pay fine will attract additional one year imprisonment.
Under section 27 of the same Act, the three accused persons were found guilty and sentenced to two years imprisonment each and a fine of N500,000, , which failure to pay will attract additional two years imprisonment.
All sentences will run concurrently while the fine is cumulative.