Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Federal High Court sitting in Calabar yesterday sentenced one Ifeanyi Kelvin Okorogu, 31, to two years in prison with no option of fine for attempting to sell a three day old baby in December 2017.
Okorogu, who was arrested in December last year following a rip off from security operatives and was later arraigned in court by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
In the charge sheet with number FHC/CA/68C/2017 signed by Unimwen Aigbeze of NAPTIP for for the Minister of Justice, Okorogu was accused of harbouring one Omah Kanu Eko, 16, in October 2017, then pregnant.
Okorogu exploited Omah’s vulnerability as she did not give her consent for purpose of exploitation, thereby committing an offense punishable under Section 13(2) of the trafficking in persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
It also accused Okorogu of attempting to sell a three day baby belonging to Eko to one Angela Tokees Nwaelechi on December 1, 2017, thereby committing an offense punishable under Section 29 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
Delivering judgement, Justice Inyang Ekwo, sentenced Okorogu to two years on the first count and one year on the second with no option of fine.
He said both sentences were to run concurrently starting from December 2017.
Okorogu’s lawyer, Cosmos Obinna, before the judgement urged the court to tamper justice with mercy.
He said the accused was a first time offender with no criminal record, with an unemployed wife, two children and an aged mother who would suffer if he was incarcerated.
He said Okorogu had learnt from his mistake and cannot commit such act again.
