A 34-year-old man identified as Efoghe Osamudiamen, has been remanded by a Benin High Court to the Oko Correctional Centre for alleged sexual exploitation of a 14-year-old girl.
According to The PUNCH, the presiding judge, Justice Geraldine Imadegbelo, remanded the suspect till May 10, 2023, when the case would come up for further mention.
The remand came as a result of an ex parte motion filed by the Benin Zonal Office of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons before the court on a two-court basis.
Efoghe was charged with suspected sexual exploitation of the victim in violation of Section 16 (1) of the Trafficking Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
The suspect was accused of obtaining the girl (now 19) for sexual exploitation when she was 14 in 2018.
He was accused of procuring the victim for pornographic performance in violation of Section 17 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act.
Victim’s friend complained to NAPTIP on April 13 that the suspect had sexually exploited the victim, according to agency attorney Victoria Aburoh, who testified in court.
She continued by saying that the suspect afterwards utilized her in a sexual performance and posted the video online.
Additionally, she said that after recounting her ordeal with the suspect, the victim petitioned NAPTIP Benin Command, alleging that the suspect had procured the victim for himself and had been having illicit relations with her since she was 14 years old.
On the other hand, the attorney requested that the suspect be detained in a correctional facility while the inquiry was ongoing.
Justice Imadegbelo’s decision mandated the suspect’s two-week detention at Oko Correctional Center.
