Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced two women, Blessing Lucky and Joyce Okeke, to seven years imprisonment for procuring young ladies for prostitution and sexual exploitation abroad.
Justice Faji ordered the convicts, also known as Mary Frank and Eva,to pay a fine of N5 million each.
The convicts were arrested in 2023 by the operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for engaging in human trafficking.
They were first arraigned in court on May 19, 2023, on a seven-count charge of conspiracy and trafficking in persons before the federal government.
The convicts initially pleaded not guilty to the charge but later changed their pleas just before the trial commenced.
Based on the pleas, the prosecutor, Michael Ojugbana, called five witnesses to testify and tendered various exhibits, which the court admitted as evidence.
After listening to the lawyer, Justice Faji convicted and sentenced the women according to the law.
On count seven, the judge sentenced the two convicts to seven years’ imprisonment and a fine of N1 million, while on counts 4 and 6, he sentenced them to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of N2 million.
Regarding counts 2 and 3, the judge determined that the law specifies a maximum penalty but does not establish a minimum penalty. This means the court cannot impose a penalty greater than the maximum allowed, but it does have the authority to impose a lesser penalty if it chooses to do so.
He further held, “Given that I have imposed the minimum sentences for counts four and six, whatever terms I impose regarding counts two and three are unlikely to significantly affect the overall sentence, particularly since the convicts are first offenders in their early twenties.
“Consequently, for count two, I sentence you, Blessing Lucky, to six months imprisonment without imposing a fine.
“For you, Joyce Okeke, I also impose a sentence of six months imprisonment without a fine.
“Count seven pertains to conspiracy. I refer to the relevant section, which states that anyone who conspires with another to commit an offence under this Act is liable.
“The substantial offence is that the convicts purchased Zara knowing she would be subjected to exploitation.
“Evidence exists that the offence was committed, as the convicts knowingly acquired Zara with the understanding that she would be exploited. The substantive offence is charged under counts 4 and 6.
“The convicts pleaded guilty to the charges, and accordingly, I impose the penalties prescribed for the offences, which, under section 21, are a prison term of not less than 5 years and a fine of at least 2 million naira,” Justice Faji held.
