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From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
A 24 year old lady, Mercy Sese has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment by a Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital for trafficking young girls to Mali for prostitution.
The convict was in January this year arrested after she was found at the Dukku Park in Makurdi with some young girls on their way to Lagos where they were reportedly billed to be trafficked abroad ostensibly for prostitution.
During the proceeding, the accused pleaded guilty to a 7 count charge brought against her for the offence of organizing foreign trips for young girls to Mali for sexual exploitation.
In his judgement on Wednesday, the presiding judge, Justice Abdul Dogo sentenced the accused to seven years in prison with an option of N4.5million fine.
He noted that the offence is contrary to sections 18, 27 and 29 of the Trafficking in persons (Prohibition) enforcement and administration act 2015.
It would be recalled that on January 7, this year, the Makurdi Zonal Command of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person, (NAPTIP), arrested Sese at Duku motor park and subsequently charged her for the offence of trafficking in persons.
The NAPTIP Commander, Makurdi Zonal Command, Mrs Gloria Bai, had told newsmen that Sese was arrested with huge sums of money including foreign currencies.
“The Command in the early hours of Friday, January 7, 2022, received a call from a concerned citizen from Duku Motor Part at Wurukum Makurdi, who alerted the command of a suspected case of human trafficking involving seven ladies of which one is the suspected trafficker.
“Officers of the command arrived at Duku Motor Park some few minutes after receiving the call and met the six ladies and the suspected who said they were all travelling to Lagos. The victims were between the ages 16 to 24 years by facial analysis.
“About N500,000 was found on the suspect alongside some foreign currencies indicating that the victims were to be moved to a destination outside the country yet to be determined,”
Reacting to the judgment, the elated NAPTIP’s Zonal Commander, commended the judge, Justice Dogo, for a sound judgement which resulted in Sese’s conviction
“Government is happy with it. Actually we are happy that she is convicted and sentenced. It will serve as a deterrent to others who might want to go the same way.”
