Friday, March 29, 2024

Swedish-Nigerian woman bags jail term over fraudulent acquisition of 18-month-old baby

Uba Group

BY ADELEKE ADESANYA

A Swedish-Nigerian woman, Stephany Isaksson, aged 43, has bagged a four-year jail term for child trafficking.

She was sentenced by a Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.

The Presiding Judge, Justice Fatun Riman, convicted the woman on a two-count charge for receiving an 18-month-old baby by means of fraud from one Uduak who is at large.

The court noted that the exercise for the purpose of exploitation was contrary to Section 13(2) (b) of Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015.

The woman was also convicted for obtaining the baby, knowing that it would be subject to exploitation, contrary to Section 21 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act.

The convict, who hails from Mbiayon Uran in Akwa Ibom State, was said to have been arrested by the Swedish Embassy in 2018 when she went to the embassy to obtain the necessary papers for the child.

At the point of transaction, the convict was handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

Justice Riman, who delivered judgment on the matter with suit number, FHC/UY/108C/2019, said that the convict was sentenced to a term of two years or a fine of N250,000 for count one while on count two, she was sentenced to a term of two years or a fine of N250,000.

He noted that the sentences would run concurrently while the fines were accumulative.

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