Court Jails Swedish-Nigerian Woman for Child Trafficking

Court Jails Swedish-Nigerian Woman for Child Trafficking

By Okon Bassey

A Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, has sentenced a Swedish-Nigerian woman, Ms. Stephany Isaksson, aged 43, to four-year jail term for child trafficking.

The Presiding Judge, Justice Fatun Riman, convicted the woman on a two-count charges for receiving an 18-month-old baby by means of fraud from one Uduak who is at large.

The court noted that the exercise for the purpose of exploitation was contrary to section 13(2) (b) of Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015.

The woman was also convicted for obtaining the baby knowing that it would be subject to exploitation contrary to section 21 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act.

The convict, who hails from Mbiayon Uran in Akwa Ibom State, was said to have been arrested by the Swedish Embassy in 2018 when she went to the embassy to obtain the necessary papers for the child.

At the point of transaction, the convict was handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

Justice Riman, who delivered judgment on the matter with suit number, FHC/UY/108C/2019, said that the convict is sentenced to a term of two years or pay a fine of N250,000 for count one while on count two, she was sentenced to a term of two years or pay a fine of N250,000, noting that the sentences would run concurrently while the fines are accumulative.

Riman also delivered judgment on another suit number FHC/ UY/142/2020 in a matter between Evangelist Enobong Bassey Okon and lniobong Okon and eight others.

The case, which involved the enforcement of fundamental human right, was decided in favour of Bassey Okon who approached the court to enforce an earlier judgment by the Appeal Court.

The respondent, Iniobong Okon and eight others were said to have infringed on the fundamental human rights of the applicant by arresting and accusing him of being a thief.

The court awarded N20 million to the applicant, Evangelist Okon, and N50,000 for the cost of litigation.

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