Asaba: A Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta, on Thursday sentenced one Mrs Christiana Uadiale to 12 years imprisonment with an option of N14 million fine for human trafficking.
The presiding judge, Justice F.A. Olubanjo of the Court, who handed down the judgement, said the convict was found guilty of the charges preferred against her by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
Accordingly, Olubanjo sentenced the convict to 12 years imprisonment, with the option of a fine of N11 million.
She also awarded N1.5 million each to be paid to the two victims of trafficking for their rehabilitation.
According to the judge, the Convict will pay N11 million to the government for her crime, with an additional N3 million to the two witnesses (victims) of human trafficking.
The Federal Government, in suit No; FHC/ASB/41C/2020, preferred a charge against Christiana Jacob Uadiale, a.k.a Christy Gold, for human trafficking.
The Convict was arraigned on a six-count charge bothering on sections 15(b) and 13(4)c of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration 2015.
Uadiale, however, pleaded not guilty to all the counts, and the court granted her bail. She absconded, but the trial continued in her absence in line with Section 352(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
The Convict was arrested on Dec 31, 2024, by the Nigeria Immigration Service at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
While the sentencing trial was on with Justice F.A. Olubanjo presiding in Asaba, the Convict, Mrs Christiana Uadiale, was remanded at the Agbor Correctional Centre.
Reacting to the judgement, Mr Emmanuel Afolabi (SAN), who lauded the judgement, said he came as a Sentencing Counsel to the Convict.
He noted that he came on a rescue mission for Mrs Christiana Uadiale, who was already convicted, adding that the judgment, which provided an option of fine, was better for his client.
Afolabi said, “Concerning this matter, judgment has just been delivered. We arrived after she had been convicted; we intervened during the sentencing hearing as a last-minute rescue mission.
“Under the law, there is a provision for the option of a fine, which we argued, and the court agreed with us. She was sentenced to pay a fine of N11 million, with an additional fine of N3 million as compensation to the two victims.
” This is better for her, and she has the right to live her life and do all the restitution, which the court admitted.”
The NAPTIP Prosecutor, Victoria Oburoh, however, said the Agency management has the decision to make on whether to contest the judgement.
She noted that the judgement was fair to the victims and the society and has shown the commitment of NAPTIP, the Judiciary and all stakeholders in the fight against human trafficking to bring the heinous crime to the barest minimum.
Oburoh said,” Since the option of fine is awarded to the Convict, the law itself is clear, there is no option of a fine; it is conviction, imprisonment and fine, but we cannot contest that now, but the decision lies with the management to take.”