Mohammed Shosanya
A Benin High Court, Criminal Division,Thursday heard how one Mr. Efoghe Sunday Osamudiamen, procured an under age girl and sexually abused her for five years.
The suspect,34,who lives in the Okhoro neighbourhood of the Edo State capital, according to the prosecutor, was charged for alleged procurement of the victim for sexual exploitation, contrary to Section 16 (1) of the Trafficking Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
The teenage victim, from Delta State,was said to have aborted three pregnancies for Efoghe during the period of sexual exploitation on her.
The suspect was alleged to have in 2018 procured the 19 year old girl, who was only 14 years then and in Junior Secondary School 3, for sexual exploitation with him.
He was also charged for procuring the victim for pornographic performance contrary to Section 17 of Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration.
Counsel to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP),told the court that a friend of the victim had on April 13, reported to the agency that the victim was sexually exploited by the suspect.
She noted that the suspect subsequently used her for pornographic performance and uploaded the pornographic video into the internet.
The counsel added that the victim subsequently narrated her ordeal with the respondent after which she petitioned the Benin Zonal Office Command that the suspect procured the victim for himself and started having canal knowledge of her from the age of 14years.
She prayed the court to grant an order granting the detention of the suspect in Correctional Center pending the conclusion of the investigation of the offence of human trafficking against the suspect.
Justice Geraldine Ono Imadegbelo ordered the suspect to remanded at Oko Correctional Centre, Benin until May 10, 2023, when the case comes up for further mention.
Her action was sequel to an exparte motion brought before the court by the Benin Zonal office of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP)
The Director-General of NAPTIP, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi,has reiterated the agency’s zero tolerance for the latest scourge of sex extortion, which she insisted the action of Mr. Efoghe, who got married in 2020, amounted to.
Mrs. Waziri-Azi who spoke through Mr. Nduka Nwawenne, the Benin Zonal commander advised victims, especially girls to summon courage and speak up as NAPTIP will be there for them.
Mr. Nwawenne disclosed that victim,is currently undergoing psycho-social therapy at the agency’s shelter in Benin to reset her bottled up feelings over the years.
