A 39-year-old woman, Mrs. Ekpereamaka Okonkwo, and her husband, Okechukwu Okonkwo, 36, have been remanded in a correctional centre by the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court, sitting at the Chief Magistrate’s Court, Awka.
The couple were nabbed for allegedly using underage girls for pr*stitution in Oba, Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.
Mrs Okonkwo was arrested last week after Oba youths raided her brothel for allegedly using girls as young as 13 as s*x workers.
About nine victims, including three girls aged 13, and some others not older than 19, were found in the premises.
She escaped to Asaba, Delta State and later sent her husband to bribe the Commissioner for Women’s Affairs and Children’s Welfare, Mrs. Ify Obinabo, with the sum of N300,000, to enable her return to business.
The Commissioner played along, accepted the money and asked her husband to bring her for settlement. She was arrested when she arrived the agreed location.
The couple who hail from Mbanagwu Village, Otolo Nnewi were arraigned on Wednesday, July 5th, 2023, on a-nine count charge, mainly, official corruption, prevention of course of Justice and procurement of about 5 underage girls for pr*stitution purposes; punishable under section 495 (a) of the Criminal Code Cap 36 Vol II, Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria, 1991.
The charge was read and interpreted to the defendants, to the satisfaction of the Court.
However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to all the nine charges.
The defendants were, however, remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Awka, and Onitsha respectively.
The case is adjourned to the 12th day of July, 2023, for ruling on bail application.
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