A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Rivers State on Friday remanded a 31-year-old woman, Layaa Abel, in prison custody for allegedly trafficking a seven-year-old boy at Abgonchia community in Eleme Local Government Area of the state.
The accused, Abel, said to be a family friend of the child’s parent, Mrs Waatam Promise, allegedly used her familiarity with the boy, Victor Promise, to lure him with N50 to follow her home.
After the child refused her antics, she forcibly took the child from his school, State School 2, Agbonchia Primary School, Eleme to Elimgbu, Obio/Akpor LGA of Rivers State, and handed him over to another person.
It was learnt that when it was getting late, the child became apprehensive and started crying uncontrollably, calling for his parents, a development that attracted the police to arrest the accomplice who was in possession of the boy.
The accomplice later identified Abel as the mastermind of the crime.
The police immediately trailed the accused to her hideout in Bori, Khana LGA, and arrested her.
The prosecutor, Inspector C. Nwokwe, told the court that the accused committed the offence on May 24, 2019, adding that her action contravened sections 516A(1) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol II Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria and Section 27(2) (b) (c) of the Child’s Right Act Cap 50 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2003.
Abel, after listening to the two charges levelled against her, pleaded not guilty.
The Chief Magistrate, F. N. Amanze, however, adjourned the matter till June 24, 2019, for hearing.
