Court convicts woman for baby trafficking in Calabar

A Federal High Court sitting in Calabar has convicted a 38-year-old woman, Mbika Asuquo Edem, for offences related to baby trafficking. The conviction followed her prosecution by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). Presiding judge, Justice Rosemary Dugbo Oghoghorie, found the defendant guilty on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, […]

A Federal High Court sitting in Calabar has convicted a 38-year-old woman, Mbika Asuquo Edem, for offences related to baby trafficking.
The conviction followed her prosecution by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
Presiding judge, Justice Rosemary Dugbo Oghoghorie, found the defendant guilty on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful obtaining, and sale of a newborn.
According to NAPTIP, the convict, alongside an accomplice still at large, deceived a victim, Mercy Aniekan Ekanem, leading to premature delivery, after which the baby was taken and sold to an unidentified buyer.
The agency said the victim was later abandoned by the roadside with N200,000.
Delivering judgment, the court sentenced Edem to two years’ imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently, and imposed a fine of N2 million on each count.
The court also ordered her to pay N500,000 as compensation to the victim, while funds recovered during the investigation were forfeited to the Federal Government. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing accomplice.