A Historic First as NAPTIP Achieves the Conviction of a Foreign National for Trafficking
A historic feat has been recorded by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), in a bid to eradicate the incidence of human trafficking in the Country as a Federal High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State, presided over by His Lordship, Honourable D.V Agishi, has handed down a conviction of a Lebanese Human Trafficker, Jabr Iskandar Kfour Sleiman who sexually exploited numerous girls in Jos.
The groundbreaking judgment slammed a 12 and 17 months imprisonment without the option of a fine on the 61-year-old convict and also ordered the Honourable Minister of Interior to deport him because his conduct was contrary to the peace and order and corporate governance of the Country.
It would be recalled that the Director General, Prof. Fatima Waziri–Azi, had, on assumption of office in 2021, promised diligent prosecution of all human traffickers in the Country irrespective of status with emphasis on the so-called high-profile traffickers.
At the time of filing this report, the Agency and some high-profile traffickers are being prosecuted. Also, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice, Interpol, and the Italian Government, the notorious Charity Omoye, an Italian convicted trafficker was extradited to serve her 13-year sentence.
The convicted Lebanese was arrested in 2021 by the operatives of NAPTIP with the support of some stakeholders at B/55/12 Giring Road Abattoir Jos South Local Government Area, Plateau state and charged to court on a sixteen (16) count bothering on abuse of position of vulnerability and sexual exploitation of 16 girls contrary to sections 13 (2)(b) and 16 (1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 (TIPPEA, Act, 2015).
In his judgment, the Presiding Judge, His Lordship Honourable D.V. Agishi, ordered “that the prosecution has proved the case against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt.
“That the defendant is found guilty of all the Sixteen Court charge and is convicted as charged”.
Reacting to the development, the Director General of NAPTIP, Prof. Fatima Waziri–Azi, lauded the judiciary for its sustained support and collaboration with the Agency in the fight against human trafficking in the Country and assured that NAPTIP shall continue to evolve its strategy and expand cooperation to realize its mandates.
Adekoye Vincent
Press Officer.
