Three docked for alleged trafficking, murder in Enugu
From Chinedu Nwafor Abakaliki
Three female suspects have been arraigned in Enugu for alleged child trafficking and murder
The Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed this in a statement be made available to Journalists in Enugu on Thursday.
Ndukwe gave the names of the suspects as Ukorie Cynthia, aged 25; Onyia Pauline, aged 56; and Aroh Ijeoma, aged 39.
The three suspects, according to the police spokesman, are residents pf Enugu State.
The statement reads: “Following the consolidation and conclusion of investigations into a case of conspiracy, children trafficking and murder, the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department of Enugu State Police Command has today, 26/08/2022, arraigned in court 3 suspects involved in child trafficking and murder case
“The suspects, who were arrested on 26/07/2022, by Police Operatives serving in Central Police Station (CPS) Enugu, were remanded in Enugu Correctional Custodial Centre, pending further hearing of the case.
“Their arrest was sequel to the receipt of a report alleging that they conspired and sold the newborn twins of one *Chinenye Odoh aged 31 and thereafter caused her death by poisoning her food, when she realized that the suspects gave her an amount lesser than the total sum they sold the babies.
“Investigations revealed that Ukorie Cynthia accommodated the deceased in her house till she put to birth on 05/07/2022, while Aroh Ijeoma facilitated the sale of the babies by contacting Onyia Pauline, a Nurse, who brought a couple that bought the babies upon their birth at the sum of three million naira (N3,000,000.00).
“That contrary to this sum, Ijeoma informed the deceased and mother of the babies, Chinenye, that the children were sold for two million, three hundred and fifty thousand naira (N2,350,000.00) and thereafter, gave her the sum of one million, eight hundred thousand naira (N1,800,000.00); gave Cynthia and Pauline fifty thousand naira (N50,000.00) each; and kept the remaining proceed to herself.
“However, when the deceased and mother of the babies eventually knew the exact amount they sold the babies, she demanded for the balance, but was thereafter said to have eaten a suspected poisoned corn given to her by Cynthia, leading to her death,” he said
The matter, according to the Police spokesman, has been adjourned to 5th of October 2022 for further hearing.