A prominent Benin City socialite was found guilty of people trafficking and given a 12-year prison sentence.

Felicia Osaigbovo, a prominent figure in the social scene of Benin City, located in Edo State, has been convicted of human trafficking. As a consequence, she has been handed a prison sentence of 12 years and ordered to pay a fine of N24 million.

Osaigbovo was found guilty by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

The individual in question received a sentence from the esteemed Honourable Justice Geraldine Imadegbelo, presiding over the Criminal Division of the High Court in Benin City.

According to a statement made by Adekoye Vincent, the spokesperson for the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the individual in question, aged 62, is affiliated with a syndicate engaged in human trafficking. Their involvement specifically pertains to the recruitment and trafficking of twelve Nigerian females to Belgium, with the purpose of subjecting them to sexual exploitation.

In Belgium, a total of twelve individuals, including three offspring of the criminal, have already been found guilty.

The trial of the defendant began on July 1, 2021, with a total of 24 charges. These charges encompassed aiding individuals involved in human trafficking and arranging international trips that facilitate prostitution, thereby contravening the provisions outlined in the Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Enforcement and Administration Act (TIPPEA) of 2015.

The defendant entered a plea of not guilty on all charges, while the prosecution produced a total of three witnesses, one of which being a Chief Inspector of Police from Belgium. Additionally, the prosecution filed a total of 13 exhibits as evidence.

After a comprehensive trial, the court rendered a verdict of conviction for the defendant on all 24 charges.

In response to the judgement, Professor Fatima Waziri-Azi, the Director General of NAPTIP, conveyed her gratitude for the decision rendered by the judiciary.

The speaker underscored the notion that it embodies a fitting and consequential form of retribution.