Anambra woman bags 21 years imprisonment for child labour, and prostitution

A 35-year-old woman identified as Success James has bagged 21 years imprisonment for child labour and abduction of female minors for prostitution in Anambra State.

It would be recalled that James was apprehended in Onitsha, Anambra State, in December 2022, and arraigned before the court in Awka, for abducting four teenage girls from Akwa Ibom State and using them for child labour.

The four teenage girls were later rescued by officials of the state Ministry for Women and Social Welfare.

Narrating their ordeal in her hands, the victims said they were taken by the suspect, who promised to secure jobs for them in Agbor, Delta State, where they would be selling drinks in a beer parlour, but on getting there, they discovered that it was prostitution work they were brought to do.

Genevieve Osakwe, the presiding magistrate of Magistrate’s Court sitting in Awka, the state capital, however, convicted James after finding her guilty of seven charges of the eight-count preferred against him.

Delivering the sentence, Osakwe sentenced her to five years imprisonment for count one, five years imprisonment for count two, two years for count three, four years for count four, two years for count five, two years for count seven, while count eight was for a one-year prison term.

Osakwe added that all the sentences should run concurrently with no option of fine.

Reacting to James’ conviction, Anambra Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare Commissioner, Ify Obinabo expressed happiness with the judgment.

The commissioner also revealed that the children had been enrolled in school and had also been learning skills of their choice at the state skills acquisition centre in Awka.