By Frank Ulom
A Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, has convicted and sentenced a 38-year-old woman, Mbika Asuquo Edem (a.k.a Ikwo), for selling a newborn.
Converseer reports that Edem was convicted and sentenced by Hon. Justice Rosemary Dugbo Oghoghorie, on 23 April 2026.
The conviction was secured by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Cross State Command in FRN VS MBIKA ASUQUO EDEM (AKA IKWO) with Charge No. FHC/CA/12C/2025.
The convict was charged with 4 counts, bordering on conspiracy, obtaining and disposing of a newborn baby contrary to Sections 13(2)(b), 21, and 27 of TIPPEA Act, 2015.
The convict and one Nurse Blessing (now at large) induced an emergency delivery of one Mercy Aniekan Ekanem (victim) before her due date of delivery. The act was orchestrated through the means of deception, and did obtain the newborn baby from the mother and subsequently sold the baby to an unknown person after dumping the victim by the roadside with the sum of ₦200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira Only).
The convict pleaded not guilty to the four counts of charge, which were dated and filed on March 4, 2025.
DATE OF ARRAIGNMENT: 19th March, 2025.
The convict, Mbika Asuquo Edem (AKA Ikwo), female, 38 years old, was found guilty on all the 4-countsl charge and was sentenced as follows:
On count one, 2 years imprisonment and a fine of ₦2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira Only). On counts 2, 3 and 4 she was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment on each count without a fine.
Furthermore, the convict is ordered by the court to pay the sum of ₦500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira Only) as compensation to the victim. The sentence is to run concurrently and to take effect from the date of arrest.
Also, the sum of ₦200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira Only), which was dumped on the victim and recovered and tendered as exhibit by NAPTIP, was forfeited to the Federal Government.
