The Second Section of the Provincial Court of Las Palmas will try seven men and women on November 25 and 26 in Gran Canaria, accused of recruiting young Nigerian women in their country of origin to bring them irregularly into Spain and sexually exploit them in Lanzarote.
The Prosecutor's Office accuses seven people, born in Nigeria and residing in Spain, of recruiting young women in the African country by promising them work. Once in Spain, they allegedly threatened them with harm to themselves or their families and subjected them to a voodoo ritual, forcing them to engage in prostitution to profit from the money they earned.
The Public Prosecutor's Office states that after performing black magic on them in Nigeria, members of the organization allegedly accompanied the young women from the African country on a trip to Greece, using an irregular border crossing, then passing through Paris, where they were transferred by another unidentified member from the airport to a hotel. Once in Paris, they were bought a flight to Madrid. Once in the Spanish capital, they were allegedly handed over to the "top leaders of the organization" to whom they were supposed to deliver the money. From Madrid, they would travel to the island of Lanzarote.
Up to 120 euros for prostitution in Lanzarote
In its indictment, the Public Prosecutor's Office states that on September 25, 2015, one of the young women was transported by plane to Lanzarote, where she was allegedly picked up by S.O., a Nigerian national with legal residency in Spain, considered "the main organizer of the business." The Ministry asserts that S.O. allegedly ordered the recruitment of young women in Nigeria to profit by forcing them into prostitution.
The Prosecutor's Office accuses her of allegedly taking the young woman, who is a protected witness in the case, to a dwelling on Venezuela street in Arrecife and accompanying her to Puerto del Carmen, where she was supposed to engage in prostitution. Furthermore, she is accused of allegedly inflicting physical and psychological violence on the survivor if she arrived home without having earned money that day.
Thus, they claimed that the young woman incurred a debt with the organization amounting to 55,000 eurosIn this case, after leaving Lanzarote, the victim was transferred to different cities in Spain, including Vitoria and Madrid, to continue working as a prostitute in a Basque club and on Alcalá street in the Spanish capital. Finally, the young woman managed to escape with another companion to Barcelona, but she had to continue paying the organization because her family in her country of origin was threatened.
The Public Prosecutor's Office accuses Nigerian women S.V. and S.I. of allegedly watching over the young women while they engaged in prostitution, providing them with accommodation, and taking them to the airport so they could travel to other cities to continue their sexual exploitation. Meanwhile, the accused S.N., G.O.E., J.M.A., and W.A. were allegedly responsible for housing the young women in Madrid and Vitoria for prostitution.
The Prosecutor's Office accuses S.O. of being the head of the organization and of allegedly taking the young women to the residences where they were to be housed. The survivors could only leave their homes to engage in prostitution in Puerto del Carmen or to travel for the same purpose to Madrid or Vitoria. Although they earned between 70 and 120 euros for each "service," they saw none of that money, as it was used to pay off the debts incurred by the accused.
According to the Public Prosecutor's Office, the young women were subjected to coercion, physical or psychological violence, unable to report it because it posed a risk to their lives. Furthermore, they were allegedly threatened with harm to themselves and their families through the voodoo ritual to which they were subjected in their country of origin.
A national investigation
The facts came to light after a joint investigation between the National Police Corps, the Aliens Brigade of the General Commissariat for Aliens and Borders, the Central Unit for Human Trafficking of the Mossos d'Esquadra, the Central Brigade for Aliens and Borders of Vitoria, and the Court of Instruction number four of Arrecife
The Prosecutor's Office is seeking up to eleven and a half years in prison for the accused A.S.O for the crime of human trafficking for sexual exploitation and for facilitating irregular immigration of people against the Immigration Law. It also requests prison sentences of up to eight years for the rest of the accused.
Thus, the Ministry requests from the seven defendants joint and several compensation to the protected witness for 40,000 euros, as civil liability.
Human trafficking is a serious violation of dignity and freedom, and a form of serious crime. Report it: National Police contact number 900 10 50 90. Email: [email protected]
