Friday, 8 July 2011
Man jailed for trafficking Nigerian girls with JUJU
Anthony Harrison, 32, was sentenced to 20 years for four trafficking offences as well as two of false imprisonment.
The first man to be convicted of trafficking females out of the UK, in a case involving two Nigerian girls, has been jailed
The charges related to teenage victims who alleged they were subjected to witchcraft and violence.
Harrison imprisoned both girls - aged 14 and 16 - at his home in Albert Square, Stratford, in 2009, before attempting to traffic them to Spain and Greece as prostitutes.
The two had been controlled by Juju magic rituals, the court was told.One of the girls was gagged and bound in Harrison's bathroom
The case is thought to be the first of its kind in Europe to involve a prosecution linked to such a practice.Both girls came from small villages in Edo, Nigeria, and were sold into prostitution with the help of the local Juju priest.
Juju is a significant part of West African culture.
Det Con Andy Desmond, of Metropolitan Police, said: "These young women suffered the most terrifying and degrading ordeal - leaving them emotionally, psychologically and physically traumatised.
"Most cruelly of all, they were brainwashed into believing that if they disobeyed their captors by seeking help, they would die.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment