Plateau Court Quashes Child Trafficking Charge Against Jos-based Lawyer

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

A Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos has quashed two-count charges of conspiracy and child trafficking against Barr.Osim Jones Usim, Sanda Ishaku, Amaechi Emmanuel, Gladys Chukwuma, and Rose Onu by the Commissioner of Police.

The court, presided over by Hon. Justice C.L Dabup in Charge No. PLD/J74C/2017 discharged Barr. Usim and all the four accused persons following a ruling on a notice of preliminary objection filed by Barr. Usim to being arraigned and tried, seeking an order to quash the charge against him and such order or further orders as the court may deem fit to make in the circumstance of the case.

Usim was charged jointly for criminal conspiracy contrary to section 97 of the Penal Code Section 28 (3) of the Child Rights Act 2003 and Section 21 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act 2003.

He argued that the facts contained in the Nigeria Police statement of complainant/witness made by ASCl Gutul Patrick of Area 6 Sector 1 of Operation Safe Haven, Jos dated 11th day of May, 2017 accompanying the proof of evidence served on him did not disclose any act or offence against him.

He pointed out that there is no link whatsoever between the charge against Usim and the proof of evidence before the court, adding that painfully too he was never at any time arrested alongside the other accused persons only to be detained when he went to STF Operation Safe Haven Head Office to seek for the release of Rose Onu on the invitation of her sons as the lawyer to her estate.

Usim said he was thereafter transferred to Nigeria Police Force Headquarter, Jos where he was detained, and the next day taken to the Upper Area court Kasuan-nama and charged alongside other accused persons and arraigned before the FIR was withdrawn and later re-arraigned before the Plateau State High Court of Justice Jos on an amended charge.

The presiding judge, Justice C. L Dabup after hearing the application to quash the charges through a Motion on Notice and the submission of Usim’s Counsel resolved the two issues distilled and formulated in the Legal argument in favour of Usim against the complainant/Respondent and in the sum total held that the application is found to be meritorious and the objection raised by Usim is sustained.

Justice Dabup said, “The charge against Usim is quashed and he is hereby discharged.”

With the ruling on the Notice of Preliminary Objection and the order quashing the two counts charges against Usim, he is no longer required to answer any of the charges against him at the High Court of Justice Jos or any other Court having established as truth that the charges were false accusations and forcing an innocent person to answer for an offence he was not privy to.