Court jails two women 14 years over child theft in A’Ibom

Ini Billie, Uyo

The Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has sentenced two women to 14 years in prison over child theft.

The convicts, 34-year-old prophetess, Esther Asuquo and 49-year-old Blessing Sunday, were jailed for buying and selling two children between ages one and two for N500,000.

Prophetess Asuquo, an indigene of Mbikpong Atai in Ibesikpo Asutan local government area of Akwa Ibom, and Sunday, an indigene of Umuoba Isiala-Ngwa in Abia State was said to have committed the crime in September 2013 at Ndon Uruan in Uruan local government area, Akwa Ibom State.

The convicts and others now at large were said to have conspired to commit a felony, child buying and selling, contrary to Section 28 (1) and (2) of Akwa Ibom State Child Rights Law, 2008.

They stood trial with 72-year-old visually impaired Osueoluka Okoye from Idemili North local government area of Anambra State, who was discharged and acquitted over the inability of the prosecution to prove the charges against him beyond a reasonable doubt.

In his judgment, Justice Okon Okon held that “there is no evidence that the third accused gained financially for his role in the child dealing racketeering.”

Justice Okon however found the first accused person, Esther Asuquo, and the second accused, Blessing Sunday, guilty of unlawfully removing and taking away two siblings without their parents’ consent and selling them in Abia and Anambra States.

“The evidence adduced at the trial which the Court accepts as the truth is that, the father of the children (name withheld by me) went to the house of the estranged wife and took the children away.

“No matter how sentimentally persuasive and emotionally laden this argument may be, the fact remains that the two children were with their father when the father handed them over to the first and second accused persons.

“It is not open to argument or debate and contestation that a father has access to his children and thus, exercises lawful care over them whenever the children are with him.

“The reality and uncontroverted fact are that the father not only consented to but took an active part in giving away the children. Whatever was his motive is irrelevant and immaterial for the purpose of the provisions of Section 28 of Akwa Ibom State Child Rights Law, 2008.

“The evidence of the Prosecution Witnesses that the first and second accused persons benefited financially from their dealings with the father of the children (names withheld by me),” Justice Okon stated.