A Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, Benue State, has sentenced a 24-year-old woman, Mercy Sese, to Seven years in prison for trafficking young girls to Mali for prostitution.
The presiding judge, Justice Abdul Dogo sentenced the accused on Wednesday, May 11, after she 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.
She was sentenced to seven months in prison with an option of N4.5million fine.
The offence is contrary to sections 18, 27 and 29 of the Trafficking in persons (Prohibition) enforcement and administration act 2015.
Recall that in January 2022, the Makurdi Zonal Command of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person, NAPTIP, arrested Sese at Duku motor park, by Wurukum roundabout in Makurdi.
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The NAPTIP Commander, Makurdi Zonal Command, Mrs Gloria Bai, told journalists 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 suspect 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 Zonal Commander, Gloria Bai, appreciated the judge, Justice Dogo, for the conviction saying ” Government is happy with it.”
“Actually, we are happy that she is convicted and sentenced. It will serve as a deterrence to others who might want to go the same way.”
