AN Investigating Police Officer (IPO), Desmond Apella, told a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) court that operatives rescued nine children from their abductors, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has reported.
Apella was testifying as the third prosecution witness (PW3) before Justice Peter Kekemeke in a case of alleged trafficking in children preferred against a man and woman.
The police charged Ifeoma Abonyi (32) and Emmanuel Onyekwere (32) with conspiracy and child trafficking.
The offence, the police said, is contrary to sections 30(3) 97 and 273 of the penal code.
Apella told the court that he was on the team that investigated the matter.
He said in November 2019, a man, Thomas Olobo, wrote a petition to the Inspector-General of Police IGP) about the disappearance of his 17-month-old child.
The policeman said during the investigation, the complainant told them that the defendants, who pretended to be a couple and the complainant’s neighbour, asked if the baby could accompany them to the market.
“The complainant granted the request and the first defendant took the child.
“They never returned the baby and the second defendant, who claimed to be the first defendant’s husband, equally disappeared,” he said.
The witness told the court that the police later traced the defendants in Ibusa, Delta State, where they were arrested.
He said the follow-up of their investigation revealed that the defendants were operating a syndicate on child trafficking.
”We found out that the defendants had sold the baby to someone in Aba.
“We rescued the baby and reunited her with her parents.
“We also discovered that this is what they do. We also rescued six other children from them,” Apella told the court.
Abonyi was reported to have absconded leaving the second defendant, Onyekwere to face the charges alone.
The second defendant did not have a legal representative.
Justice Kekemeke therefore promised that the court would contact the Legal Aid Council and other lawyers to take pro bono.
He then adjourned the case till March 19 for cross examination of PW3 and possible continuation of the trial.
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