Edo couple convicted, jailed five years for human trafficking

By Jethro Ibileke

An Edo State High Court (Criminal Division 2), Benin City, has sentenced Edo couple to five years imprisonment for human trafficking offence.

The Edo couple, Idahosa Ota and his wife, Adesuwa, were jailed for conspiracy to commit human trafficking offences brought against them by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

The Coordinator of the Benin Zonal Command of NAPTIP, Ganiu Aganran, who disclosed on Wednesday, said the couple was found guilty of exporting a victim to Dubai for prostitution.

He said the offence contravened Section 27 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

Aganran described the feat as part of NAPTIP‘s Director-General’s agenda of arresting, prosecuting and convicting high-profile trafficking cases in the country.

Meanwhile, the Benin Zonal Coordinator of NAPTIP has hailed the judiciary’s support in the prosecution of human trafficking cases.

He said: “The Judiciary is also helping us to accelerate the cases. We have a lot of support from the National Industrial Court. too; they have always been ready to take our cases.”