Court jails two men for child theft in Anambra

The Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court in Awka, Anambra State has jailed two men for child stealing in the state.

The convicts – Chinedu Okeke, 22, and Chukwuemeka Nweke, 27 – were charged with four counts upon arraignment in 2023.

The counts included stealing, fraudulently enticing away and harbouring a one-year-old baby, forcefully isolating the child from the lawful possession of his parents; and infliction of physical injuries on the baby.

Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, a media aide to the State Commissioner of Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.

The statement indicated that the defendants, now convicts, were prosecuted by the Anambra State Government through the State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare.

The government told the court that the offence was punishable under the Criminal Code, Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria, 1991, the Child’s Rights Law of Anambra State, 2004, and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition and Protection) Laws of Anambra State, 2017.

The judgement

Delivering judgement, the Chief Magistrate, Genevieve Osakwe, held that the defendants were guilty of all the four count charges brought against them.

Ms Osakwe, according to the statement, criticised the convicts for wasting the time of the court by “blatantly telling lies on oath” throughout the trial period.

“Based on the oral testimonies of the defendants, their written depositions, made at the earliest opportunity, the submissions of the plaintiff’s witnesses, as well as, other materials placed before the court, in respect of the case; there were overwhelming pieces of evidence against the defendants, and the prosecutor had proved his case beyond reasonable doubts,” the chief magistrate ruled.

Earlier in a plea, the defence counsel, said the defendants were of good character and prayed the court to temper justice with mercy on the grounds that both defendants were first-time offenders, and had sincerely expressed regrets for their wrongdoings.

But Ms Osakwe argued that in law, “justice is not a one-way traffic,’’ and stressed that in passing sentences on the defendants, the court would rely on the existing practice directions, prescribed in the Sentencing Guidelines of Anambra State of Nigeria.

The chief magistrate subsequently sentenced the two convicts, Messrs Okeke and Nweke to multiple jail terms.

She ruled that each of the convicts would serve one year imprisonment for count one, six years imprisonment for count two, another six years imprisonment for count three and two years imprisonment for count four – totalling 15 years imprisonment.

“All the sentences would run concurrently, without any option of fine,’’ the court declared.

The statement did not indicate when the convicts were sentenced.

Commissioner reacts

Reacting, the State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Mrs Obinabo, expressed satisfaction with the court’s judgement.

The commissioner warned intending offenders in the Anambra State to leave the state because the administration of the state governor, Charles Soludo, will not hesitate to prosecute such offenders.

She appreciated the efforts of the court in ensuring that children are protected in the state.

She vowed to do everything within her powers to prosecute the third suspect, said to be currently on the run.