The Federal Capital Territory has charged eight commercial sex workers to court yesterday.
The women were arrested at various night clubs and red light districts in Abuja.
They were charged for dancing naked and causing public nuisance contrary to section 35 of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB ) Act.
The court session at the old parade ground in Abuja, one of the sex workers complained that the FCT task force had released some of the accused after sleeping with them.
The drama started immediately when about eight of the suspects who were arraigned at the mobile court alighted from the task force vehicle. One of the suspects who later identified herself as Comfort Abbah, openly accused some of the task force members of “ having sex “with their colleagues and releasing them illegally.”
Abbah, alleged that only eight of over 30 people arrested were brought before the magistrate. “We were more than 30 when we were arrested by the task force. The task force members after having sex with some of the girls have released them. We are here because nobody came to get us out,” she said.
However, the suspect’s protest did not stop the arraignment as the prosecution counsel, Barr. Eze Eze read the charges against the suspects before the magistrate.
Four of the suspects pleaded guilty while four others pleaded not guilty.
The presiding magistrate, Mrs. Idayat Akanni told the suspects who pleaded guilty that the offences attracts N5, 000 fine or six months imprisonment.
Following a plea for mercy by the suspects, the magistrate reduced the fine to N3,000 which they paid immediately.
And for those who pleaded not guilty, the magistrate adjourned the matter to April 30 for further hearing. They were granted them bail in the sum of N10, 000 each and one surety in like sum.
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