(TheGavel) – A 32-year-old man, Peter Sylvest-Aisedu, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison by a Kano State High Court for attempting to traffic a 30-year-old woman from Edo State to Italy. The ruling, delivered by Justice Adam Abdullahi, comes after Sylvest-Aisedu pleaded guilty to a single count charge brought against him by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Kano.
The court heard that Sylvest-Aisedu, who resides at No. 5, Rue Boris Vian Jattu in the Etsako Local Government Area of Edo State, was convicted of trying to procure an illegal entry for the victim. Justice Abdullahi determined that the prosecution had sufficiently proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt. As a result, he sentenced Sylvest-Aisedu to 30 months of imprisonment without the option of a fine.
During the proceedings, NAPTIP’s Kano Zonal Commander, Mr. Abdullahi Babale, detailed the circumstances of the case, stating that the offence took place on July 22, 2024. Babale revealed that Sylvest-Aisedu had gained a financial benefit of N70,000 from the victim. He explained, “The convict attempted to procure illegal entry of the victim from Edo to Italy through Jigawa State to Niger Republic and Libya.”
To support the case, the prosecution presented one witness and two pieces of evidence, which included a confessional statement from the convict and testimony from the victim. Babale noted that the actions of Sylvest-Aisedu were in violation of Section 29 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015, and were punishable under Section 26(1) of the same Act.
In response to the conviction, Sylvest-Aisedu’s counsel, Mr. Isma’il Abdulaziz, pleaded for leniency on behalf of his client, but the judge remained firm in his sentencing decision. (NAN)
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