Lagos special court jails 32 sex workers

The Lagos State Special Offences Court, Alausa, Ikeja, sentenced 32 sex workers to four months imprisonment.
The ladies, whose ages ranged between 18 and 34 were punished on Tuesday for “engaging in acts inimical to public good”. They were among the 52 sex workers arrested by the Lagos State Task force on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit last week Wednesday at Toyin and Isaac John streets, Ikeja Lagos

It was learnt that the remaining ladies’ trials were delayed due to technical hitches and would commence soon. The sex workers were arraigned on three counts:

The charge read, “That you, the above named defendants on August 2, 2012 between 12.01 and 12:30am at Toyin Roundabout, Opebi, in Ikeja in Lagos State (South-West) Nigeria being disorderly persons placed yourselves on the road for illegal purpose to wit an offence contrary to section 166 (I) (h) Criminal Law 2011 and punishable under section 162 (2) of the same law.”

The sex workers were convicted on this charge and sentenced to two months imprisonment without the option of fine.

The second charge read, “That you, the above named defendants on August 2, 2012 between 12:01 and 12:30 am at Toyin Roundabout, Opebi in Ikeja conducted yourselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace and committed an offence contrary to section 166 (I) (d) of the Criminal Law 2011 and punishable under section 166 (2) of the same law.”

They were sentenced to one month imprisonment each with an option of N10, 000 fine.”

On the third count, the suspects were accused of “unlawfully obstructing one Superintendent Taiwo and committed an offence punishable under section 27 of the Environmental Sanitation Law.”

They were sentenced to one month imprisonment each with an option of N10,000 fine.

Now dear sisters, my worry is " if i decide to mobilize for the appeal of the sentence will find my fellow sisters with the support that i desire, will my sisters in the churches agree with me that decriminalizing prostitution is not just to encourage the practice but to uphold the right of those who our governments, our leaders, our parents, our pastors, our husbands, our employers have denied the rights to shelter, a decent livelihood and everything called Fundamental to their Human development. Think about this and lets talk

Regards to all,

Joy