Federal High Court in Calabar, Thursday, sentenced two girls to five years imprisonment each for selling a one-year-old boy in Cross River State.
The suspects, a 22-year-old Uduak Uwem Sunday and 18-year-old Blessing Etim Asuquo, were arrested by officials of the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) on April 18, 2023.
Delivering judgement at the Federal High Court, 1, in Calabar, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu sentenced the culprits to five years imprisonment respectively with a fine of N2 million.
A source from the agency who pleaded anonymity said Christian Samuel was stolen and sold to a buyer at Technical Round About along Murtala Muhammed Highway in Calabar for N150,000. They also claimed not to know where the baby was taken to or the contact of the buyers.
They were arrested on April 18, 2023, about two months ago. Blessing Etim Asuquo and Uduak Uwem Sunday, 18 years and 22 years respectively.
“The child is a baby boy, Christian Samuel. The suspects refused to mention who they sold the child to and where the child is taken to. They only revealed that they took the child to Technical Round About, along the highway where they did the transaction, and got the buyer who bought the child for N150,000.
‘‘I don’t know whether they took an oath that they will not reveal themselves, because all efforts, all pampering while they were in custody, they still didn’t reveal the information.
“It was so pathetic watching the mother of the child crying yesterday at the court,” the source stated.
