UK: ”Voodoo” nurse Josephine Iyamu guilty of sex trafficking

A British nurse has been convicted of trafficking five Nigerian women into Germany to work as prostitutes after subjecting them to “voodoo” rituals. Josephine Iyamu forced the women to swear oaths to hand over money to her during “juju” ceremonies. Iyamu, 51, formerly of Bermondsey, was convicted of five counts of arranging or facilitating travel […]

A British nurse has been convicted of trafficking five Nigerian women into Germany to work as prostitutes after subjecting them to “voodoo” rituals. Josephine Iyamu forced the women to swear oaths to hand over money to her during “juju” ceremonies.

Iyamu, 51, formerly of Bermondsey, was convicted of five counts of arranging or facilitating travel for sexual exploitation at Birmingham Crown Court. Jurors also found her guilty of perverting the course of justice.

The rituals saw the women forced to eat chicken hearts, drink blood containing worms, and have powder rubbed into cuts, the court heard.

The case is the first in England and Wales in which a British citizen has been prosecuted for sexual trafficking offences committed outside the UK.

Her husband, 60-year-old Efe Ali-Imaghodor, was acquitted of doing acts intending to pervert the course of justice.

Iyamu declared a modest income of around £14,500 in 2016/17 from her work as an NHS agency nurse, the court heard.