NAPTIP, CROSS RIVER STATE COMMAND SECURE A CONVICTION

Today, 23rd day of May, 2024, the Cross River State Command of National Agency For The Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons  (NAPTIP) secured conviction in Charge NO: FHC/CA/86C/2023 between the Federal Republic of Nigeria V. Prince Joseph Mark Ekpo filed on the 20th day of June, 2023.




The Defendant is a man of 32 years old who sexually assaulted two minors: 11 years old and 6 years old.

The Defendant was charged with 2 Counts Charge bothering on Trafficking in Persons by means of deception and abuse of position of vulnerability contrary to Section 13(2)(b) of the Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 in Counts 1 and Sexual Exploitation contrary to Section 15(b) of the Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 in Counts 2.

The Court per Hon Justice Ijeoma L. Ojukwu sitting in Court 1 of the Federal High Court, Calabar found the Defendant guilty on the counts 1 & 2 respectively 

On Count 1, the Court sentenced the Defendant to 3 years imprisonment and a fine of ₦300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira Only).

On Count 2, the Court sentenced the Defendant to 3 years imprisonment and a fine of ₦300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira Only).

The sentences are to run concurrently.

The Prosecution in an application, applied that compensation be awarded for the rehabilitation of the victims. The said application was refused by the Honourable Court on the ground that the Defendant was unable to perfect his bail bond of ₦500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira Only) the sole reason he has been in detention since arraignment and that awarding such compensation would transmute the sentence to a life imprisonment which is not the intent of the law under which he was convicted.

The Court further ordered that a medical examination be conducted on the Defendant by a Medical Officer of the Nigeria Correctional Service in view of the fact that the Defendant admitted to have committed a similar offence in the past.

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