17th July, 2021
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
A Port Harcourt magistrate court has remanded the director of a motherless babies home and staff over their involvement in child trafficking.
The director of the motherless babies home, Koko Crusco, and his staff, Comfort Ekon, were arraigned over their alleged involvement in the trafficking of a set of twin babies.
Also remanded was one Favour Uche for her alleged conspiracy with one Dennis Chimezie, already remanded in a Correctional Centre, over the trafficking of the said set of twin babies reported to have died and deposited at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital morgue.
Crusco had told the court that the dead bodies of the set of twins were deposited at the UPTH mortuary by the Police Officer who handed them over, ill at the time to her foundation on the 7th of June 2021.
Crusco added that the babies were confirmed dead at the Police clinic on the 9th of June.
The trial Chief Magistrate, Rita Ogugwo, in the ruling, directed that the Chief Medical Director of UPTH, through the Police Officer in charge of the matter furnish the Court, on the next adjourned date, with the whereabouts and relevant documents of the twins—especially as it concerns the depositing of their remains at UPTH morgue.
Chief Magistrate Rita Ogugwo after listening to the testimonies of Crusco, Ekon and Uche on their involvement in the trafficking of the children issued the orders and directives before adjourning till 19th of July, 2021 for information and possible bail application of the suspects.