13th June, 2017
Akin Kuponiyi
Two women, Adesuwa Osaro, 23, a.k.a Oluwabunmi Adeleke, Frank Mabelle, Joy Aisha and Esther Omosede, 32 a.k.a Mama Geneise alleged to have engaged in human trafficking were Tuesday arraigned before a Federal high Court Ikoyi southwest Nigeria.
Adesuwa Osaro is said to be a resident of 3 Ugbowo Sawmill Road, Benin City, while Esther Omosede resides at 8, Vincent Asemota Street Uwasota Benin City, Edo State.
The accused women were arraigned before the court by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP), on nine counts criminal charge of procuring young girls for prostitution in Mali.
The prosecution alleged that the accused women conspired to procure overseas trips for three girls, aged 18, 27, and 28 respectively, to Mali for prostitution.
They were alleged to have harboured the girls within their confines, so as to procure their Visas and facilitate their trips abroad.
The offences alleged to have been committed by the accused women contravene the provisions of sections 18, 25, and 27 of the Trafficking In Person (Prohibition) and Administration Act, 2015.
They pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The presiding judge, Oluremi Oguntoyinbo while adjoining the case till 24th and 25th of October, 2017 for trial, granted the first accused, Adesuwa Osaro, bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum, while the second accused Esther Omosede was granted bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.