National Association Against Trafficking In Persons (NAATIP) has arrested two Nigerian women for alleged sex trafficking of minors in Gambia, the Standard News Gambia reported on Monday, July 31, 2023.
The arrest came following an investigation
launched by a new Gambian investigative outfit, The Guardian Intelligence Investigative
Platform.
The investigation, focusing on sex
trafficking, was launched a few weeks ago following reports of massive
trafficking of young Nigerian girls, some of whom are as young as 15
years.
The two women, who were held at the Brusubi
and Kairaba police stations were released on bail and currently helping the
police in their investigations.
A senior state lawyer told The Guardian
Intelligence that sex trafficking is not a capital offense in Gambian laws and
because of that the alleged offenders can be bailed.
Jennifer and Viviane have since admitted to
bringing the girls into the country but insisted that the girls knew they were
coming to Banjul to trade in sex work. A claim all the girls interviewed by
this medium denied.
"I admit that I brought them to The
Gambia but I had informed them they will be doing Asawo (sex work). I never
told them they were going to do business or work in a restaurant,” Viviane
insisted.
When asked whether she knew the girls were
underage and could not have given consent, Viviane said she would not know if
the girls had not told her in the first place.
But one of the girls who was trafficked by
Viviane said she was promised that she would work in a restaurant.
“I was shocked when I realised that I was
brought to The Gambia to do Asawo (sex work),” she told this medium based on
anonymity for safety reasons.
On her part, Jennifer who is believed to be
one of the toughest among the traffickers, had a tough exchange with NAATIP
investigators during the interrogation and insisted she has done nothing
wrong.
When approached for comments, she tensely
said: “I am unfairly targeted. I have done nothing wrong.”
The investigation has managed to talk to
about 10 victims who have given a detailed explanation of the trauma they face
since arriving in the country. One of the victims detailed how she was forced
to have sex with a man while seeing her period.
The reporting and prosecuting cases of sex or
human trafficking have been a major problem in The Gambia and many countries
around the world, the publication reported.
The perpetrators usually get away with their
actions through bribery and inducement of law enforcement officers.
There were cases where the madams were heard
in WhatsApp audios shared by some of the victims warning them that they would
not be able to have justice because even if they report the matter, they
(madams) will pay money and get released. Despite several reports of
trafficking cases.
The Gambia has not registered much success in
terms of prosecution. But a senior investigator at NAATIP has expressed their
desire to ensure that the alleged offenders are taken through due process and
if found wanting they will be prosecuted.
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