Edo; Fake army officer arraigned for alleged human trafficking

A 35 years old man, Kilo Ken, also known, as Kingsley Egharevba, who allegedly impersonated a Nigeria Army officer, was on Thursday arraigned at the National Industrial Court in Benin for alleged human trafficking.

The suspect was arraigned in court by the Benin Zonal Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.

It was gathered that the suspect was allegedly parading himself as an Army officer to carry out the crimes when he was arrested by the officers of the Army and handed over to NAPTIP for prosecution.

He appeared in court on a two-count charge of assisting one Nifemi Afolabi (F) a.k a Halima, now at large for organising foreign travels for a victim (name withheld) for the purpose of prostitution and knowing the victim would be forced into prostitution in Libya.

When the charges were read to him, the suspect pleaded not guilty to the offences.

NAPTIP counsel Mrs Oburoh Victoria Okanigbuan said the offences committed by the victim are contrary to and punishable under section 18 and section 14(b) respectively of the Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Enforcement and Administrative Act, 2015.

Oburoh said the suspect committed the offences in Benin City in October 2019.

The presiding judge, Justice A.A Adewemimo, who adjourned the case to June 15, 2023, for a hearing, ordered the suspects to continue with the administrative bail pending when the application for his bail is formally filed before the court. Punch