ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The National Industrial Court in Benin on Thursday arraigned one Kilo Ken, also known as Kingsley Egharevba, for alleged human trafficking.
It was gathered that the 35-year-old man allegedly impersonated a Nigeria Army officer, to carry out his crimes.
The suspect was arraigned in court by the Benin Zonal Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.
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.
Egharevba appeared in court on a two-count charge of assisting one Nifemi Afolabi (F) a.k a Halima, who is now at large, and for organizing foreign travels for a victim (name withheld) for the purpose of prostitution in Libya.
When the charges were read to him, the suspect pleaded not guilty to the offences.
However, the 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 that the suspect committed the offences in Benin City in October 2019.
The presiding judge, Justice A.A Adewemimo, adjourned the case to 15 June, 2023, for a hearing.
He ordered the suspects to continue with the administrative bail pending when the application for his bail is formally filed before the court.