The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons on Friday arraigned a 38-year-old woman, Peace Asuquo, before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos for allegedly using underage girls for prostitution.
Asuquo was arraigned on a count charge of trafficking preferred against her by NAPTIP before a vacation judge, Justice Akintayo Aluko.
NAPTIP’s prosecution counsel, Becky Jibo, told the court that the defendant committed the offence between March and June 2023.
She said the defendant was arrested in a motel situated at Totomu Village, a border town between Lagos and Ogun states, where she harboured and used the underage girls for prostitution.
According to the prosecutor, the offence committed contravened Section 15(b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Following her not-guilty plea, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date and also urged the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service, till the determination of the charge.
The defendant’s lawyer, Nojeem Azeez, told the court that he was yet to file his client’s bail application. He therefore asked for a short date, to enable him to file the bail application.
Consequently, Justice Aluko adjourned the matter till September 12, for the hearing of her bail application.
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