In a significant legal verdict, a High Court in Benin-City, the capital of Edo State, handed down a 12-year prison sentence and a ₦24 million fine to Mrs. Felicia Osaigbovo, also known as Mama Masha.
The court reached this decision following her arraignment on July 1, 2021, on 24 counts related to human trafficking, which included assisting in the activities of traffickers and organizing foreign travels for prostitution.
Mrs. Osaigbovo, a resident of Okuarobo Street, Off St. Saviour Street, Upper Sakponba Road in Benin-City, faced allegations of promoting prostitution, particularly concerning 12 victims currently in Belgium.
She initially pleaded not guilty to all charges, but the prosecution presented compelling evidence, including testimony from a Belgian police officer, Mr. Jimmy Wellem Hendrik, who had flown in from Brussels to testify.
Mr. Hendrik’s testimony shed light on the extensive network of human trafficking orchestrated by Mrs. Osaigbovo, who also operated under the alias Mama Juliet.
He described how Nigerian girls, aged between 14 and 23, were recruited in Benin-City and taken to Europe for sexual exploitation and prostitution. The victims, numbering 24 in total, were trafficked in March 2015 to her children based in Antwerp, Belgium.
Importantly, Mr. Hendrik emphasized that human trafficking is a global issue that requires comprehensive action, whether in Nigeria or other countries. He detailed how the rescued victims had been resettled and were now engaged in legitimate businesses in Belgium.
After a thorough trial that included the submission of 13 exhibits, Justice Geraldine Imadegbelo delivered a verdict, finding Mrs. Osaigbovo guilty on all 24 counts. The court sentenced her to 12 years in prison and imposed a ₦24 million fine, sending a clear message about the severity of human trafficking offenses.
| ThisDay
