A Federal High Court in Uyo, on Wednesday sentenced two men, Udobong Udofia and Nsidong Eduogo to nine years imprisonment each, for human trafficking and sexual harassment.
Udofia and Eduogo were prosecuted by the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
They were tried on a two-count charge of trafficking in persons and sexual exploitation through means of threat and abuse of position of vulnerability.
The convicts, prosecuted in charge No: FHC/UY/06/2024, were found guilty of sexually assaulting an orphan.
Delivering his judgement, Justice M. A. Onyetenu stated that the convicts deserved stiffer punishment than contemplated by the law, considering the crimes they committed.
He sentenced them to two years imprisonment for count one and a fine of N250,000.
”For count two, they are hereby sentenced to seven years in prison with a fine of N1 million,” he said.
Onyetenu further awarded the sum of N10 million as compensation to the victim.
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The judge ordered that the convicts should remain in custody untill the compensation was paid to the victim.
Speaking to NAN, Mr Emmanuel Awhen, the Zonal Commander, NAPTIP Uyo, said that Udofia and Eduogo were arrested on Feb. 7.
He said that their offences contravened Section 13(2)b and 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.(NAN)
