Ladipi Sanusi/
A 21-year-old lady has told how her new born baby was sold for N200, 000 by a woman she calls Aunty Tina.
Eunice Esther Aidoo, also known as Esther Paul, made the disclosure today at a Federal High Court, in Lagos.
Those facing trial for the alleged offence at the Justice Mohammed Nasir Buba led-court the said Aunty Tina, who is 46-year-old Tina Anyanwu; her husband, Charles Chigozie Anyanwu, 50, and one of their relatives, Chiamaka Sylvia Anyanwu, 23.
They are facing a five-count charge of conspiracy, child trafficking, and transacting in child trading, by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP).
Also charged with them are one Alice Nwoke Ogechi, 52, and the man who allegedly bought the new born baby, Mr. Remigus Mbegbu, 50.
NAPTIP in a charge marked FHC/L/61c/17, alleged that the three Anyanwus had sometimes in the month of April, 2016, at Yahaya Street, Fagbile-Isheri, in Lagos, conspired to sell the child of Esther, a secondary school certificate holder.
The Anyanwus along with Alice Nwoke Ogechi, were said to have sometimes May, 2016, conspired to sell a child of one Ukachi Ukamaka Cynthia to Remigus Mbegbu.
Mbegbu allegedly bought the children from Anyanwus and Ogechi, in the same month.
The offences according to the NAPTIP prosecutor, Mrs. Idayat Balogun, are contrary to sections 27(a) and 21 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
While revealing her ordeal, Esther said that after giving birth to a baby at a hospital, Aunty Tina and some people whom she (Tina) introduced as NGO visited her Ward.
Then, the nurse who delivered the baby allegedly told Esther that she wanted to give her an injection that would ease the pain she went through during delivery.
After taking the injection, Esther said that she slept off, and by the time she woke up, she could not find the baby again.
She said that when she asked the nurse about the baby’s whereabouts, the nurse told her that Aunty Tina had taken the baby away for care.
The victim who was led-in-evidence by the prosecutor said on getting to Aunty Tina’s house on the second day, Aunty Tina handed over N200, 000, to her; and when she asked what the money was meant for, Aunty Tina allegedly told her that it was the NGO.
Esther also told the Court that from the N200, 000, given to her, she gave N55, 000, to Aunty Tina, which she said was for her hospital bill, and the sum of N5, 000, and N20, 000, to Aunty Tina’s daughter and husband respectively.
She added that Aunty Tina told her to refill the gas which she used to boil water for her bathing, and gave her an order that she should leave their house after three weeks.
She stated that it was not up to a week after the order was made that NAPTIP came to arrest her and the Anyanwus.
She also stated that before getting to NAPTIP office, Tina’s husband had told her to lie that the baby had died, and she complied, but when they went to the hospital where she had delivered, workers at the hospital told the Agency that the baby was handed over to them alive, and it was then she told the Agency the whole truth.
She told the Court that she is yet to know where her baby is.
During cross examination by the counsel to Anyanwus, the witness told the Court that she started living with Tina’s family when she was six months pregnant.
She also told the Court that she packed out of her aunt’s place after she got pregnant, and relocated to an uncompleted building, on the promise of Aunty Tina, who had promised to accommodate her.
The matter has been adjourned till June 22 and 23, for continuation of cross-examination, and trial.
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