Couple remanded over attempt to traffic lady to Oman

Lukman Olabiyi

Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court, Lagos has ordered for the remand of a couple, Mrs. Abosede Ademehintoye, 36, and her husband, Peter Ademehintoye, 37, in the custody of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) over alleged attempt to smuggle out one Adetula Oluwatosin to Oman for forced labour.

The court ordered for the remand of the couple after they pleaded not guilty to four counts charge pressed against them by the anti-human Trafficking agency.

NAPTIP in a charge marked FHC/L/127c/2020, alleged that the husband, Peter Ademehintoye, had sometime in 2019 at Block 25, Ikosi lsheri, Shopping Complex, Ketu, Lagos, hired, transferred and transported Adetula Oluwatosin for the purpose of using her for forced labour in Oman.

While his wife, Abosede, was alleged to have on June 2, 2019, aided and abated her husband to escape from the NAPTIP’s custody, located at 165B Oba Ladejobi Street, G.R.A, Ikeja (NAPTIP Lagos Command).

She was also alleged to have unlawfully assaulted Mr. Olamide Foyinsola, a NAPTIP official, who was on execution of official duty.

The offences according to the prosecutor, Mr. C. I. Ajeigbu, are contrary to Section 24, 22(a), 28(1) and 32(2) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

The couple pleaded not guilty to the offences and the development, which made the prosecutor to ask the court to remand them in the agency’s custody till the determination of the charges against them.

However, counsel to the couple, P. O. Onuchie, through an application, pleaded with the court to grant his clients bail in the most liberal terms.

The application was not opposed by the prosecutor, but he urged the court to impose bail terms that will ensure the defendants’ presence in court till the determination of the charges against them.

Following parties’ arguments, Justice Oguntoyinbo ordered that the defendants be remanded in the NAPTIP’s custody till December 11, 2020, when their bail applications will be decided.