A Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa has convicted four persons for human trafficking offences in two separate cases, while two victims have been rescued and reunited with their families.

In the first case, Justice Doris Adokeme sentenced three persons, identified as Tonkumor Ebipadere, 21; God Knows Samuel, 27; and God Knows Winner, 19, to two years’ imprisonment each for attempting to traffic two victims for sexual exploitation.

The defendants, who pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy, recruitment and transportation of persons, and attempted human trafficking, were each given an option of a 650,000-naira fine.

However, the court ordered that they remain in custody until the fines are paid.The two victims were rescued by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, and have since been reunited with their families.

In a separate case, another defendant, Gloria Lucky, was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

She was convicted on four counts, including conspiracy, facilitating human trafficking, procuring minors for sexual exploitation and facilitating foreign travel for prostitution.