The Nollywood actor Kanayo Awurum, who allegedly sold his son for
N350,000 has been arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates Court.
Awurum was arraigned on a two-count charge of human trafficking.
Special Anti-Robbery Squad detectives led by Inspector Ayebo Samuel,
arrested Awurum, following a compliant by his lover that he sold their
2-year-old son, Chukwunoyerem, to a woman in the guise of taking care
of the boy.
The police arraigned Awurum and Nkechi Obi, the woman who allegedly
bought the boy, before Ipaye Nwachukwu of the Ikeja Magistrates court
on June 29.
The count reads:"That you Kanayo Awurum and Nkechi Obi and others now
at large sometime in February 2015, at about 1.30pm, between Orlu, Imo
state and Lagos State, within the Lagos Magisterial District, did
conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit; human trafficking,
and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 409 of the
criminal law of Lagos State Nigeria, 2011. "
Count II reads:"That you Kanayo Awurum and Nkechi Obi and others at
large on the same date,time and place in the afore-mentioned
magisterial district, did sell one Chukwunoyerem Samuel Awurum, aged
two years, for the sum of three hundred thousand naira (N300,000), and
therefore committed an offence punishable under section 274(1) of the
criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011."
However, the mother of the boy, Miss Kelechi, who is also pregnant
with a second child by Awurun, said she wants justice to be served.
"I don't care if he goes to jail. He deserves it. What he did was bad.
Though I am pregnant with his second child, I don't want anything to
do with him again. He should face justice. I will train the children
alone. My God will see me through," she said.
Awurum, after his arrest, said he sold his son because he had pressing
financial problems.
Obi, the second accused, said she bought the boy so she can have a
male child to inherit her husband's property.
The accused pleaded not guilty. The case was adjourned to August 31, 2015.