The Federal High Court presided over by Honourable Justice T.B Adegoke found the 38 years old defendant guilty of the three count charge preferred against him by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), and he was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment on count 1 of the charge and 7 years imprisonment on count 2 without an option of fine.
The court, however, ruled that the sentences are to run concurrently and to start counting from the date he was arrested and remanded in custody.
The charges preferred against him by the National Agency for the Prohibition Against Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP) bothers on Sections 13(4)c,18 and 24 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administrative Act, 2015.
Ufor Samuel who was arraigned before the Federal High Court, Benin Division on the 27th day of February 2018 and later transferred to Asaba upon the creation of the Asaba Division of the Federal High Court, was arrested at the Seme border by Immigration Officers while attempting to traffick his victim, a 20 year old Cynthia Uden from Agbor, Delta State to Mali for prostitution.
The convict had deceived his unsuspecting victim that she was being taken to Mali to be engaged as a Sales girl with an annual salary of one million cefas.
The convict, whom NAPTIP described as serial human trafficker was also charged for trafficking another female, simply known as Blessing to Côte d’voire for prostitution.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Delta State Taskforce on Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration, Mr. Peter Mrakpor has hailed the court’s verdict sentencing the human trafficker, Ufor Samuel to jail.
Mrakpor, who is the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice stated that human trafficking is a barbaric, cruel and a serious offence against humanity, and vowed that the crime will not be allowed to thrive in any part of the State.
Speaking further, the Chairman of the Taskforce disclosed that the Delta State Government under the auspices of the Taskforce Against Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration was not relenting on its oars in ensuring that the crime was brought to its knees.
He called on parents and guardians to be vigilant and enjoined members of the public to report suspicious activities of human traffickers and their agents to law enforcement agents.
