Alleged child trafficking: Police rescued 9 children from their abductors, IPO tells court

An Investigating Police Officer (IPO), ASP Desmond Apella, told an FCT Court that the police rescued nine children from their abductors.

Apella was testifying as the third prosecution witness (PW3) before Justice Peter Kekemeke in a case of alleged trafficking in children preferred against a man and woman.

The police charged Ifeoma Abonyi, 32 and Emmanuel Onyekwere, 32 with conspiracy and child trafficking.

The offence, the police said, are contrary to sections 30(3) 97 and 273 of the penal code.

Apella told the court that he was on the team that investigated the matter.

He said that in November 2019, a man, Thomas Olobo wrote a petition to the Inspector-General of Police IGP) about the disappearance of his 17-month-old child.

The witness said during the investigation, the complainant told them that the defendants who pretended to be a couple, and the complainant’s neighbour, asked if the baby could accompany them to the market.

“The complainant, granted the request and the first defendant took the child.

“They never returned the baby and the second defendant who claimed to be the first defendant’s husband equally disappeared,” he said .

The witness told the court that the police later traced the defendants in Ibusa, Delta where they were arrested.

He said the follow up of their investigation revealed that the defendants were operating a syndicate on child trafficking

”We found out that the defendants had sold the baby to someone in Aba.

“We rescued the baby and reunited her with her parents.

“We also discovered that this is what they do. We also rescued six other children from them,” he told the court.

Supreme News reports that Abonyi was reported to have absconded leaving the 2nd defendant to face the matter alone.

The second defendant did not have legal representative.

Justice Kekemeke therefore promised that the court would contact the Legal Aid Council and other lawyers to take pro bono.

He then adjourned until March 19 for cross examination of PW3 and possible continuation of the trial.