A 55-year-old human trafficker, Patricia Igbinovia who specialises in trafficking ladies abroad for prostitution was, Tuesday, remanded in prison custody by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, made the remand order after the woman who is also known as Audu Mariam Olayemi and Mama Bobby, was arraigned before the court in a charge marked FHC/L/345c/21.
Igbinovia is facing a six count-charge bordering on human trafficking preferred against her by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person NAPTIP.
The prosecutor, Becky Jibo, told the court that the defendant, a resident of 9, Olajide Street, Off Cornelius Nzebuka Street, Pleasure, Oke-odo, Lagos, engaged in the alleged act between 2015, December 2016 and 2017 respectively.
She told the court that the defendant allegedly trafficked some ladies from Lagos to Malaga, Spain, for the purpose of prostitution.
The prosecutor said that the defendant allegedly committed the offence with one Oyo, who is now at large.
According to the prosecutor, the offence committed is contrary to and punishable under Section 18 and 27(b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
However the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge against her.
In view of her plea, the prosecutor, asked the court for a trial date and also urged the court to remand her in prison custody pending the determination of the charge.
Becky told the court that her request for the defendant’s remand, was based on the ground that if granted bail, she may not show up for trial, as she has two international passport, which she said made it difficult for her agency to track her.
The defendant’s counsel, Mr. Uche Okoronkwo, informed the court that a bail application has been filed and same has been served on the prosecutor.
Okoronkwo added that the offence committed by the defendant is a bailable one.
He therefore urged the court to grant the application.
In a bench ruling, Justice Aneke ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison and adjourned till January 21, for ruling on the bail application.
