A Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted Goodnews Thompson and Kperebong Emmason to 24 years imprisonment with hard labour for stealing and child trafficking.
The Court sentenced the persons on a three count charge bordering on Child Stealing, Conspiracy and Trafficking of Etim Gospel George, 2, on 18th October, 2018, at Komkom village in Oyigbo Local Government Area. The two year old toddler is yet to be seen.
In her judgement delivery, Chief Magistrate Felicitas Amanze found Goodnews Thompson, 1st Defendant, Sunday Jonah, 2nd Defendant who is deceased while in prison and Kperebong Emmason, 3rd Defendant guilty for stealing and selling little Etim George at the sum of three hundred and fifty thousand (N350,000) naira.
The Court found them guilty under section 39 of the Child Right Act, for stealing the only son of one Mary Gospel George, a widow who lost her husband last year in a pipeline fire outbreak at Komkom in Oyigbo Local Government Area.
Chief Magistrate Amanze sentenced the suspects to 7 years imprisonment on count 1, 7 years on count 2 and 10 years on count 3, making a total of 24 years imprisonment with hard labour which will run consecutively.
Counsel representing International Federation Of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Tina Stephen, kemi Ogunake, commended the court judgement.
They asserted that it will serve as a deterrent to others.
