A man has been jailed for 4½ years for his role in the human trafficking of three women who were later forced into prostitution in Ireland.
Lucky Enogheghase (38), with an address at Frenchville Lane, Galway, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit human trafficking.
The court heard he was involved in facilitating the journey of three women from Nigeria to Ireland. The women were then forced into prostitution by third parties, who have already been dealt with by the courts.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Enogheghase’s guilty pleas were accepted on the basis of recklessness in that he was not aware of what awaited the women upon their arrival in Ireland.
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The court was asked to take two other counts of conspiracy to commit human trafficking into consideration when imposing sentence.
An investigating garda told Fiona Murphy SC, prosecuting, that Enogheghase assisted in the travel of the three women, who were trafficked to Ireland. He said the women had been duped by other parties who invited them to come.
The court heard that the Garda investigation began after one of the three women recognised Enogheghase at a hotel in Galway and told gardaí he helped to facilitate her journey between Nigeria and Italy before she arrived in Ireland.
The garda said Enogheghase’s role was varied and included him travelling with the women, providing accommodation and facilitating their onward journeys.
He said Enogheghase’s role with the organisation which trafficked the women has not been established and gardaí cannot say what reward, if any, he would have received for his involvement.
Enogheghase, who has no previous convictions, was arrested in November 2022 and interviewed by gardaí, but nothing of evidential value was obtained.
The investigating garda agreed with Michael Lynn SC, defending, that his client was co-operative and the guilty plea was of assistance.
Mr Lynn asked the court to take into account all available mitigation. He said his client accepts responsibility and was reckless because he did not know what awaited the women once in Ireland.
Judge Martin Nolan said Enogheghase had been involved in the trafficking of three people, which was a “serious matter”. He said the court inferred Enogheghase was due to receive some reward for his involvement, adding that it was “hard to know what level he was in the organisation, but probably not at the highest level”.
He backdated the sentence to when Enogheghase went into custody in November 2022.
