OTISI JCA (Delivering the Lead Judgment): This is an appeal against the judgment of the Federal High Court, Calabar, delivered on 16 February 2012. The appellants had been charged, pursuant to section 19(1)(b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act, 2003 (as amended), on a two count amended charge of deceitfully inducing one Hannah Osagie to go from Ugbon in Edo State to Mfum Border in Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State, en route to Cameroun Republic.
The facts leading to this appeal are as follows: On 13 March 2007, one Mr. Nkwendu D. N. Jacob, a Camerounian citizen was arrested at the Mfum Border Control Post by Nigerian Immigration Officers while attempting to cross over to Cameroun Republic in the company of Hannah Osagie, a Nigerian citizen from Edo State. Further investigations led to the arrest of the 1st and 2nd appellants in Benin City, Edo State. Upon a second amendment of the charges, the name of the original 1st ac…