Court Jails Human Trafficker For Four Years In Osun State

Today, a Federal High Court in Osun State sentenced a 29-year-old woman, Sekinat Owolabi, to four years imprisonment for human trafficking.  

Owolabi was arraigned, tried and convicted on four counts bothering on human trafficking and organised foreign trips and promotion of prostitution. Justice Maureen Onyetenu, in her judgment, held that the convict did not deserve any mercy, hence should serve her jail term at Federal Prison, Ilesa, without an option of fine.

Onyetenu also held that the convict’s conviction and the sentence would serve as a deterrent to other would-be offenders in the society. The Defense counsel, Ademola Adeyemo, had prayed the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing his client.

The National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Prosecution counsel, Mrs Zarowa Caroline, had told the court that the convict committed the offence sometime in December of 2012.

Caroline also told the court that Owolabi lured a 19-year-old girl on a trip to Mali with intent to secure for her a job abroad. She, however, said the victim was rescued by the Nigeria Immigration Service and handed over to NAPTIP office, Osogbo in January of 2013.

She said the offence Owolabi committed contravened Sections 15 (a), 16 and 19 (b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act, 2003 (as amended in 2005).