Nigerian couple convicted in London for ‘slavery’ – The Nation Newspaper

ALondon-based Nigerian couple were yesterday convicted by a Southwark Crown Court in London for trafficking a slave nanny into the UK from Nigeria.

Judge Martin Beddoe warned that Ayodeji Adewakun, a 44-year-old medical doctor and wife, Abimbola Adewakun, a 48-year-old nurse, face a significant sentence of immediate imprisonment.

They were granted bail until June 16 when they will be sentenced.

Husband and wife had lured the woman to the UK from Nigeria with promises of a salary of 500 per month.

The couple confiscated her passport as soon as she arrived in February 2007 and subjected her to constant demands and verbal abuse.

She managed to escape two years later after finally receiving just 350 the equivalent of a wage of 15 a month.

Jurors were unable to reach a verdict in relation to Dr Adewakun on a charge of trafficking a second alleged victim. Her husband was cleared of that charge.

The couple were said to have persuaded the woman to come and care for their two children in Erith, south-east London, years earlier in 2005.

The 37-year-old victim told Southwark Crown Court she was later forced to work all day cleaning the house, cook for the family and was even woken if the doctor got home late and wanted a snack.

She met the Adewakuns during their visits back to Nigeria where her father was employed in a similar role by Adewakuns parents.

The jury heard she was promised 500 per month in a similar arrangement before she too was subject to constant demands and verbal abuse from Mrs Adewakun.

She described a typical working day involving cleaning the house, cooking for the family, preparing the children for school, running errands and sometimes working through to midnight before being allowed to finally go to bed.

After being threatened, she was lucky not to be beaten like the last girl, she finally demanded payment in February 2009 after two years without receiving any money.

A bank account was then opened with a 50 deposit followed by further payments of 100, prompting her to flee the home.

When she finally managed to get her passport back, she sought help from a charity and an investigation was opened into the Adewakuns.

Dr Adewakun, based at the Abbey Wood surgery, told the court the woman was brought to the UK from Nigeria for a better life.

The GP insisted she paid each the same wages as she did to her previous European au-pair, who was hired from a website.

She claimed to have used contract template from Google and denied the suggestion the maid was used because no European woman would take (her) physical and verbal abuse.

The couple, both of Erith, denied two counts of trafficking a person into the UK for exploitation. Both were convicted of one count.

Investigating Officer Detective Sergeant Nick Goldwater said: This couple deceived the victim by promising her a regular wage, which was far higher than her earnings in Nigeria. She hoped that she would be able to send money home and improve her familys standard of living.

In reality, she was made to work day and night and barely paid anything. She was subject to intimidating behaviour by Dr Adewakun, who exerted control over her by keeping her socially isolated and withholding her passport.

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Nigerian couple convicted in London for 'slavery' - The Nation Newspaper