A 37-year-old man, Maurine Daniel, who allegedly abducted a 17-year-old girl for prostitution,
was on Monday docked at an Egor Magistrates’ Court in Benin City.
The Magistrate, Mr W.E. Aziegbemhin, who gave the order, said the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the case.
He directed that a duplicate copy of the case file should be sent to the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.
The accused, whose address is unknown, is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and abduction.
Earlier, Prosecutor C.S.O. Nnamdi told the court that the accused with others still at large committed the offences sometime in August 2015.
Nnamdi said the accused allegedly recruited the teenager to be taken to Libya for prostitution.
The offences contravened Sections 14 (b) and 16 (2) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 14 (b) provides minimum five years for importation and exportation of persons.
Section 16 (2) prescribes a seven-year jail term and N1 million fine for procurement or recruitment of person under 18 years for prostitution.
The magistrate adjourned the case to May 6 for mention.
NAN
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