The Imo State Police Command has arraigned before an Owerri Magistrate Court, the operator of the illegal baby factory, who was arrested few weeks ago, Dr James Ezuma, on an 18-count charge.
In the Suit between the Imo State Commissioner of Police and Ezuma James Ezuma, with charge No CW/556C/2013, Mr Ezuma was accused of hiring 16 pregnant teenage girls with the intent that they would be used for immoral purposes of giving birth to babies which he sells to prospective buyers, and thereby committing an offence punishable under section 21 of the Trafficking in Persons (prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 as applicable in Imo state.
Other charges include Unlawful Possession of Prohibited Firearms, Murder, Unlawful Possession of Vehicles Suspected To Be Stolen, Illegal Abduction and Rituals.
In addition, the Police Command also arraigned his wife, Mrs Chioma Ezuma in the suit with No OW/557C/2013 on a 2-count charge of Negligence and Impersonation as a midwife, thereby committing an offence contrary to section 343 (1) (E) punishable under 343 (1) (H) of the Criminal Code Cap “C38″ Laws of the Federation 2014, as applicable in Imo state.
The presiding Magistrate, Comfort Isiguzo, remanded the first accused Dr James Ezuma in prison custody until the next hearing by January 13, 2014 after he pleaded not guilty to the charges, while the second accused Mrs Chioma Ezuma was granted bail at the sum of N200,000.00 with one surety.
Recall that Mr James Ezuma, 57, who claims he is a medical doctor that runs an orphanage was arrested by the State Police Command, after it got a tip-off that a teenage pregnant girl gave birth to a baby girl at the motherless babies home and few hours after the birth, the baby was stolen and sold to unknown people by the operator of the orphanage home.
The Imo State Police Commissioner, Mohammed Katsina, disclosed that 16 other pregnant teenage girls waiting to deliver were rescued from the motherless babies’ home, with the name ‘Ezuma Women and Children Right Initiative N.G.O’ located in Egbu road in Owerri.
Police alleged that pregnant teenage girls are kept throughout their antenatal period in the ‘home’ and are promised to be given the sum of 100,000 Naira having collected their babies after delivery.
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