Trial Of Baby-making Factory Operator Adjourned Till June 6
Further hearing in a criminal charge filed against a Port-harcourt based-woman, Chinyere Precious Emeka, who was accused of running a baby-making clinic, before a Federal High Court, Lagos, has been adjourned till June 6.
Chinyere was arraigned before Justice Hadiza Rabiu-Shagari, by the men of the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) Lagos, on four counts charge bordering on alleged fraud of N5.450 million, obtaining under false pretence, and trafficking in children.
In particular, the baby-making factory (clinic) was alleged to have between February 2013, and July 16, 2014, collected the sum of N2.5 million and N2.950 million from the duo of Christian Ogeyi Omagu, and Victoria Achilonu, under the pretence of making them pregnancy and eventual delivery.
Chinyere whose clinic bears ‘God’s Gift Clinic/Maternity, located at 6, School Road, Elelewo, Port-harcourt, Rivers State, was also alleged to have entered into an agreement with the mother of one male child and obtained possession of the said child, for the purpose of transferring or giving the child to Mrs. Christiana Ogeyi Omagu, whom to her knowledge, was not the biological mother of the child.
The offence according to the prosecutor, Mr. Emmanuel Jackson, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), are contrary to sections 8(a), 1 (3) and punishable under 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006, and Section 24(e) of the Trafficking in Persons (prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act, 2003 (as amended).
The accused had earlier pleaded not guilty when she was arraigned before the court in March, 2017.
At the resumed trial of the accused on Monday, one of her victims, Mrs. Christiana Ogeyi Omagu, had told the court how she paid the sum of N2.5 million to the accused before she gave her a concoction, which made her stomach to swell believing that she was pregnant.
Omagu also told the court that she doubted the pregnancy after medical tests carried out in the United States indicated that she was not pregnant, ”but when the accused came to the USA, she still assured her of the pregnancy and advised her to come to Nigeria to deliver.”
Omagu told the court that she came to Nigeria in February 2013 after she was introduced to the accused, and in March, the accused confirmed that she was pregnant prompting her to return to the her base in the US, with the hope of delivering the baby at one of the hospitals there.
She said she had no choice than to return to Nigeria after the accused called her in February 2014 and informed her that her delivery was due, and that she has to give birth to the baby on February 16, 2014, at her maternity home in Elelenmo
Responding to the questions during cross-examination by the accused lawyer, Deborah Nmawodia, the victim told the court that she came to Nigeria while on vacation in US.
However, attempt by the accused lawyer to use the victim’s statement to the police in crossexaming her was vehemently opposed by the prosecution, Emmanuel Jackson who told the court that the lawyer have not fulfil the provisions of the Evidence Act, in using the witness’ statement.
Following the submissions made by counsel to both parties, on the tendering and admissibility of the witness’ statement, Justice Rabiu-Shagari, adjourned the matter till June 6, for ruling and continuation of cross examination of the witness.
