JUST IN: Child Trafficking: Two Abuja Residents Bag 5 Years Jail For Separating 4-Day Old Baby From Mother

The Federal Capital Territory High Court on Wednesday convicted two residents of Abuja, Felix Oladele(39) and Esther Onyeabor (50) for conspiring among themselves to obtain possession of a 4-day old baby from Hanatu Sunday(22) and financially exploiting the child’s mother as well.

The judgment was passed on Wednesday by Justice Y. Halilu.

The defendants were on August 28th 2021 arraigned on three counts charges bordering on trafficking by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

Giving a background of the case, NAPTIP told the court that Hannatu (from Gombe State) was in a relationship with her boyfriend, Joshua Lazarus, which resulted to a pregnancy and that she called the latter about the need to return to Abuja due to the difficulty she faced owing to pregnancy demands.

The prosecution had said that Lazarus took Hannatu to Oladele, begging him to help the situation and that the first defendant collected (at the first instance) N20,000 from them promising to help the lady.

“The 1st defendant during that period kept Hannatu Sunday at another woman’s place whom he claimed was his sister. After a while, the first defendant called to inform Lazarus that Hannatu will not be able to deliver naturally but through operation worth N120,000,” the prosecution had said.

The prosecution had also stated in court records obtained by our correspondent, that Oladele without notifying Lazarus, claimed that the baby was bleeding and kept the new born baby in the custody of another woman in Enugu.

“After a while, Oladele told Lazarus that the baby was dead. Lazarus found it difficult to believe that his baby was dead. He informed Hanattu of the development. He requested Oladele to take him and the mother to their baby so they can take custody of the corpse but Oladele kept on bringing different excuses,” it added.

The victims reported to NAPTIP and the agency probed the situation and tracked the baby with Esther, alive; and subsequently, they were charged but they pleaded not guilty but failed to provide sufficient evidence to counter the charges.

After the court convicted the defendants, their lawyer begged the judge for clemency saying that the second defendant(Esther) is a widow with tender children as well as a leader of a church , while Oladele is a young man that has an aged mother he is taking care of as a bread winner.

But the judge held that the actions of the convicts amounts to modern day slavery and crimes against humanity.

Passing his judgement on Wednesday, Justice Halilu sentenced the duo to 5 years and N 2 million on each count, adding that it will run concurrently, meaning 5 years and N2 million(no option of fine).

“Human life is precious, but by many selfish pursuit, the birth of children has been forgotten by human beings.

“There is no greater inhumanity in the world like belittling a new born baby.

“In this situation, a child born is taken away from his mother, and given to another woman in faraway Enugu state.

“This is a warning to baby making factories, the second convict prides herself as woman of God,” ” Halilu said while ordering them to serve their terms in Kuje Correctional Centre.