A 47-year-old retired retired matron has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for alleged trafficking of children.
The matron identified as Gertrude Akpan, was said to have abducted a six-year-old boy, who was in the custody of his grandmother and sold him for N50, 000.
Further investigations proved that she sold the boy to Akpan, a mother of three, who later sold him again to one Kate Ogbonna in Owerri, Imo State for N200,000.
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The judge in charge of the case, Justice Okon Okon, of Akwa Ibom State High Court, found Akpan guilty of unlawful removal and transfer of the boy from Akwa Ibom to Imo State and jailed her without an option of a fine.
“Apart from the confession of the convict, the evidence of the prosecution witness that she assisted the police in the recovery of the child victim from the buyer in Owerri, remained unchallenged and therefore accepted.
It is sadistic that Gertrude (Akpan), a mother of children, indulged in selling the children of others, thereby depriving the innocent children of the natural love, care and upbringing of their parents.
Such an evil trade must be deprecated, forestalled and checkmated by every right thinking member of society” the judge held
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