LONDON NURSE JAILED FOR SEX TRAFFICKING AND RITUAL ABUSE
A nurse based in London has received a 14-year prison sentence after being convicted of trafficking Nigerian women to Germany for sex work, during which she subjected them to 'voodoo' rituals.Josephine Iyamu, who is 51 years old, was found guilty of facilitating travel for the purpose of sexual exploitation and also of interfering with justice.
She forced five women to take oaths during 'juju' ceremonies and made them give her money.
Iyamu, formerly residing in Bermondsey, was additionally convicted of attempting to interfere with legal proceedings by arranging for her victims' relatives in Nigeria to be detained.
The court recognized her as the first British citizen prosecuted under the Modern Slavery Act of 2015 for trafficking victims outside the UK.
The rituals involved the women consuming chicken hearts, drinking blood with worms, and applying powders to their cuts.
The judge criticized her for displaying a 'complete disregard for their welfare,' highlighting that she put them at serious risk of death as they traveled across the Mediterranean in inflatable boats.
All five women were rescued from the boat during their journey and subsequently placed in a camp in Italy.
