The Uyo Division of the Federal High Court, on Thursday, remanded two women in Uyo prison custody over alleged human trafficking.

The defendants, Justina Usoro, 41 and Joy Usoro, 19, from Ikot Ekwere Itam in Itu Local Government Area, are facing a 10-count charge of recruiting, facilitating travelling documents of young girls and transporting them to Libya for prostitution and forms of exploitation.

The prosecutor, Jonathan Esene, told the court that the defendants committed the offences sometime in February.

Mr Esene said the defendants did organise and facilitate the foreign travel of a 20-year-old Emediong Akan of Ikot Ekwere Itam and other young girls in Akwa Ibom to Libya to promote prostitution and other forms of exploitation.

He said the offences contravened Section 18 of Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 29 of the same Act.

The defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.

The prosecuting counsel consequently applied that, given the defendants’ plea, they should be remanded in a correctional centre.

Justice M.A. Onyetenu granted the application that the defendants be remanded in Uyo Correctional Centre and adjourned the case until July 17 for the commencement of trial. 

(NAN)