Court jails two women 5 years each for stealing, selling one-year-old baby
A Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River has sentenced two women to 5 years imprisonment for selling a one-year-old boy.
The women, 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, according to reporting by Guardian Newspaper,
Delivering judgement at the Federal High Court, 1, in Calabar on Thursday, June 8, 2023. Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu sentenced the culprits to 5 years imprisonment respectively with a fine of N2 million.
A source from the agency who pleaded anonymity told the publication that the child, Christian Samuel was stolen and sold to a buyer at Technical Round About along Murtala Muhammed Highway in Calabar for the sum of N150.000.
The women also claimed not to know where the baby was taken to or the contact of the buyers.
“The child is a baby boy, Christian Samuel. The suspects refused to mention who they sold the child to and where the child was 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.