Woman bags 5 years imprisonment for trafficking lady to Italy for prostitution

• Justice Inyang Ekwo, who handed down the judgment, said the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt

One Benedicta Usen has been sentenced to a five-year imprisonment without option of fine for trafficking a lady for prostitution.

The defendant, also known as Carol Omomoh, was convicted and sentenced by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, who handed down the judgment, said the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt in respect of each and every allegation in the eight-count change.

Justice Ekwo consequently sentenced Omomoh to two years and six months imprisonment each in counts one, three, five and seven without an option of fine.

The judge also sentenced her in counts two, four, six and eight to five years imprisonment each without an option of fine.

He ordered that all the jail terms must run concurrently with effect from February 3.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police had in a eight-count amended charge alleged that the defendant Omomoh conspired to commit the offence by recruiting and transporting Miss Cynthia Loveth Ese Omoieke to Italy through the UK by means of deception.

The offence, the prosecutor said, is punishable under Section 27 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration, TPPEA, Act, 2015