Miracle Ita, a 27-year-old mother of two has been sentenced to two years imprisonment by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State for the trafficking of a 16-year-old girl to work as a commercial sex worker in the Ajah area of the state.
The court said the convict should also pay a fine of N250,000.
It was learnt that Ita was arraigned by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons after she was arrested at a brothel in the Ajah area of Lagos, where the victim was being exploited.
According to NAPTIP Head of Press and Public Relations, Josiah Emerole, Ita was arraigned on February 24, 2016.
However, in a judgement delivered on Tuesday, the judge, Justice Chuka Obiozor, found her guilty and sentenced her to two years’ imprisonment with an additional fine of N250,000.
Emerole said, “Ita was a professional sex worker at the hotel. She was picked up by the agency on July 15, 2016 at Okon Brothel, Ajah, Lagos State, where she was exploiting the victim. When she was arraigned on February 24, 2016, she pleaded not guilty to the one count charge of trafficking in persons preferred against her by the agency.
“Upon that plea, trial on the case, with charge number, FHC/L/57C/2016, commenced on May 12, 2016. Subsequently, the parties adopted their final written addresses on December 11, 2017. Delivering judgement on Tuesday, the judge found her guilty and sentenced her to two years’ imprisonment with an additional fine of N250,000.
