By Itoro Bassey
Abraham Nse Nelson, the man who who is facing
trial for conniving with his parents in-law, Chief and Mrs Vitalis
Bassey Essien, to unlawfully keep Destiny Nelson, daughter of David Edet
David, has begged the Federal High Court in Uyo to allow him to explore
out-of-court settlement deal with David, and the Federal Government of
Nigeria which is prosecuting them on a seven-count charge of suspected
human trafficking.
Since
the death of Destiny's mother, Monica David in 2005, Abraham Nelson had
posed as the father of the 15-year-old girl who was born as Eti-Mbuk
David on March 29, 2002.
Destiny is a student at the State
College, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, and is currently taking her West
African Schools Certificate Examination (WAEC).
The trio of
Nelson, 38, his father in-law, Chief Vitalis Bassey Essien, 70, and
mother in-law, Benedit Bassey Essien, 61, were accused of illegally
keeping Destiny since 2005 without the consent of David, her father.
David, 42, a native of Idiaba village in Nsit Atai local government area of the state, told Propellerng.com in March (see story at https://m.facebook.com/story.php…)
that the woman who raised the child as her daughter from infancy,
Veronica Abraham Nelson, together with her husband, Nelson, had connived
with her parents, Chief and Mrs Vitalis Bassey Essien, of Ikot Ekwere
village in Ibiono Ibom local government area of Akwa Ibom State, and
took custody of the baby shortly after the death of his wife, Monica, in
2005.
David, upon discovery that his child was alive contrary to
the false report of death of the child he received from his in-laws,
reported the matter to the National Agency for Prohibition of
Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in 2008.
The Federal Government
of Nigeria, through NAPTIP took the matter to court and maintained that
Nelson and the Essiens committed an offence punishable under Sections
13(2), 27, and 32 (1) of the Trafficking in Person (Prohibition)
Enforcement and Administration Act 2015, because they received Destiny
Nelson (by means of abuse of position of vulnerability), obstructed
authorised officers of the agency from carrying out their duties and
deprived David Edet David of Destiny, his daughter.
Meantime, at
the resumed sitting on the matter on Tuesday, one of the defendants,
Abraham Nelson, prayed for an adjournment to purse settlement options
with David and the anti-trafficking agency.
Nelson, whose lawyer,
Mfon Umoh Esq., was absent in court, said he was ready to restitute and
save himself the rigours of trial in view of the pains involved in the
case and in the interest of the child.
More so, Nelson, who
addressed Destiny as David's daughter in what appeared like a solemn
moment, told the court that David was amenable to the plea bargain.
After listening to Nelson, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, said she was at home
with the settlement out of court prayer, as it would be in the the best
interest of the child.
She adjourned the matter till July 4 to enable all parties in the case mop up the settlement procedure.
The court earlier granted the defendants, who spent eight days in detention , bail after they met prescribed conditions.
Nelson is also answering to another charge on obstruction brought
before the court by NAPTIP, along with a lady, Mmeyene, said to be his
girlfriend.
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