LOIS Chikanele Iwuchukeu Obazi
Uchendu Mark – Port Harcourt
A Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt has convicted and sentenced one LOIS Chikanele Iwuchukeu Obazi who faked her name to be Precious Obasi to 10 years imprisonment for child trafficking.
Obazi committed the crime in 2018 around Omehia school road Igwuruta community in Ikwerre local government area of Rivers State.
Chief Magistrate, Felicitas Amanzie in her judgment sentenced the woman three years for count one and seven years for count two of the charges which should run concurrently.
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The chief magistrate said the court was convinced that the convict actually bought three babies which she claimed she delivered in two different days in a maternity home at Igwuruta with the sum of N900,000.
The 47 year old woman had in 2018 after she was arrested in a hotel within Stadium road, Elekohia in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of the state by men of Nigeria Police told the police which was also her testimonies before the court that she delivered the triplets in two different days.
But the Chief Magistrate ruled that it was impossible for the 47 years old woman to have left abroad to deliver her triplets in Nigeria and to nurse them in a hotel as she claimed, saying that the prosecutions proved count and two in the case beyond reasonable doubt but could not proved count three which is unlawful taking away of the children from the parents.
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Our correspondent reports that Chief Magistrate, Amanzie in her ruling also described Lois Chikanele Iwuchukeu Obaz who faked her name to Precious Obasi as a pathological lair that deserves no mercy and thereby sentenced her to 10 years imprisonment.
She thereafter ordered that the convict should remain in police custody pending when Nigeria Correctional Service will be open for all inmates.
Speaking to newsmen outside the courtroom, Chris Nwadigo who is counsel to the convicted woman said he will appeal the judgment of the court, describing the judgment as declaration full of emotion and sentiments.
On her part, the immediate past Chairperson of the International Federation of Female Lawyers, Antonia Osademe who spoke on behalf of the FIDA as part of Prosecution welcomed the judgment which she said will serve as a lesson to other women who are in habit of buying and selling babies.
