Mrs. Ekpereamaku Okonkwo, 36, a brothel owner, has been placed on detention by the children, sexual, and gender-based violence court in Awka for allegedly employing underage girls for prostitution in Oba, Idemili North local government area of the state.
According to reports, the woman was detained last week after Oba youngsters raided her brothel and found evidence of her allegedly using minors as sex workers. There were about nine victims discovered in the brothel, three of whom were 13-year-old girls.
She managed to flee to Asaba, Delta state, where she later instructed her husband to bribe Mrs. Ify Obianabo, the commissioner for women’s affairs and children’s welfare, with the sum of N300,000. This allowed her to resume her business.
The commissioner went along with it, took the cash, and instructed her husband to take her to the settlement. When she arrived at the designated spot, she was detained.
The couple, who are from the the village of Mbanagwu, was charged with nine counts, including official corruption, obstructing the administration of justice, and obtaining five or more minors for prostitution, on Wednesday, July 5th, 2023.
The court was satisfied after the charge was read and explained to the defendants.
The defendants, however, entered not guilty pleas to each of the nine accusations.