Thursday, January 30, 2025 - A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday, January 29, ordered the remand of a woman, Rejoice John alias Success, at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre for allegedly trafficking three young ladies to Ghana for prostitution.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke remanded the defendant, pending the hearing
and ruling on her bail application.
In the charge marked FHC /L /829c /24, John is facing five counts
bordering on deporting, harbouring and organised foreign travel for
prostitution, preferred against her by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons,
during the defendant’s arraignment, told the court that she allegedly
trafficked some girls to Ghana for prostitution.
NAPTIP prosecution counsel, U.I. Egonu, told the court that the incident
took place between June and September 2024.
Egonu said John alias Success of Godwin Compound, in Oku Uruan,
Akwa Ibom State, on or about June 2024 in Ghana, and was later deported from
Ghana to Lagos, Nigeria, allegedly organised the foreign travel of a
22-year-old lady (names withheld), alias Queen from Nigeria to Ghana for the
promotion of prostitution.
The prosecutor told the court that the defendant between June 2024 and
September 2024, after her deportation, harboured and organised foreign travels
for Queen, 22 years old, another victim (names withheld), alias Ella, 21 years
old and (names withheld) alias Grace, 22, from Nigeria to Ghana knowing that
they would be induced into prostitution.
According to the prosecutor, the offences committed contravened Sections
18 and 15(b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and
Administration Act 2015 and are punishable under the same Section of the
Act.
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges against her.
The prosecutor while asking for a trial date, urged the court to remand
the defendant in the correctional centre pending the disposal of the case.
However, the defence counsel, E.O. Ajoku, informed the court that the
defence had filed a bail application and asked the court to grant the
application.
The counsel argued that the offence is bailable. However, the prosecutor
opposed the bail application and urged the court to refuse the application in
view of the seriousness of the offence, damage and embarrassment it had caused
and continues to cause the country before the international community.
After listening to the arguments of both the defence and prosecution,
Justice Aneke adjourned the matter to February 5, 2025, for a ruling.
He ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional
Centre till the next adjourned date.
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