A federal high court sitting in Asaba, Delta State and presided over by Justice Toyin Adegoke on Tuesday sentenced a 38-year-old man,  Samuel Papa Ufor to 12-years imprisonment for human trafficking.

The convict who was on bail from the Benin zonal office of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for a previous offence was charged on a three-count amended charge of facilitating the trafficking of the girl.

The judge said the prosecution proved its case beyond all reasonable doubt.

“From the totality of the evidence adduced by the prosecution, I hold the view that the convict is guilty of counts 1 and 2 and is hereby sentenced to five years for count 1 and seven years imprisonment for 2.

Both sentences are to run concurrently,” Justice Adegoke ruled.

The accused had in 2017 lured the girl from her family home at Baleke street, Agbor, Delta State with the promise of taking her to the West African country of Mali to work as a hairdresser.

After all, arrangements were concluded, she travelled in the company of Ufor from Agbor en route their destination but on getting to Seme border, the man allegedly told her that he was taking her for prostitution but pleaded with her to claim she was his girlfriend if asked by security personnel.

Cynthia was said to have quickly raised alarm and reported the matter to immigration officers who prompted arrested him.