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| 'Voodoo' nurse Josephine Iyamu guilty of sex trafficking | 'Voodoo' nurse Josephine Iyamu guilty of sex trafficking |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A British nurse has been convicted of trafficking five Nigerian women into Germany to work as prostitutes after subjecting them to "voodoo" rituals. | A British nurse has been convicted of trafficking five Nigerian women into Germany to work as prostitutes after subjecting them to "voodoo" rituals. |
| Josephine Iyamu forced the women to swear oaths to hand over money to her during "juju" ceremonies. | Josephine Iyamu forced the women to swear oaths to hand over money to her during "juju" ceremonies. |
| Iyamu, 51, formerly of Bermondsey, was convicted of five counts of arranging or facilitating travel for sexual exploitation at Birmingham Crown Court. | Iyamu, 51, formerly of Bermondsey, was convicted of five counts of arranging or facilitating travel for sexual exploitation at Birmingham Crown Court. |
| Jurors also found her guilty of perverting the course of justice. | Jurors also found her guilty of perverting the course of justice. |
| The rituals saw the women forced to eat chicken hearts, drink blood containing worms, and have powder rubbed into cuts, the court heard. | The rituals saw the women forced to eat chicken hearts, drink blood containing worms, and have powder rubbed into cuts, the court heard. |
| Iyamu is the first person to be convicted under Modern Slavery Act laws passed in 2015, allowing prosecutions of British citizens for overseas sexual trafficking. | |
| Her husband, 60-year-old Efe Ali-Imaghodor, was acquitted of doing acts intending to pervert the course of justice. | Her husband, 60-year-old Efe Ali-Imaghodor, was acquitted of doing acts intending to pervert the course of justice. |
| Psychological control | Psychological control |
| Iyamu declared a modest income of around £14,500 in 2016/17 from her work as an NHS agency nurse, the court heard. | Iyamu declared a modest income of around £14,500 in 2016/17 from her work as an NHS agency nurse, the court heard. |
| But after her arrest last year investigators found she was able to afford to spend thousands on air travel and a large home in Benin City, Nigeria. | But after her arrest last year investigators found she was able to afford to spend thousands on air travel and a large home in Benin City, Nigeria. |
| Prosecutor Simon Davis said by performing rituals Iyamu gained psychological control over the women. | Prosecutor Simon Davis said by performing rituals Iyamu gained psychological control over the women. |
| The National Crime Agency (NCA) said Iyamu had "enlisted the help of a voodoo priest" to put the women through a "juju" ceremony which was "designed to exert control" over them. | The National Crime Agency (NCA) said Iyamu had "enlisted the help of a voodoo priest" to put the women through a "juju" ceremony which was "designed to exert control" over them. |
| The victims and their families were threatened with serious harm if they broke their oath to Iyamu, according to the NCA. | The victims and their families were threatened with serious harm if they broke their oath to Iyamu, according to the NCA. |
| The court heard Iyamu was "willing to put the women at risk of serious injury and or death as they made their journey from Nigeria to Europe". | The court heard Iyamu was "willing to put the women at risk of serious injury and or death as they made their journey from Nigeria to Europe". |
| They were too afraid to challenge her or fail to pay her back tens of thousands of Euros she charged them to be trafficked into Germany, the court was told. | They were too afraid to challenge her or fail to pay her back tens of thousands of Euros she charged them to be trafficked into Germany, the court was told. |
| Opening the case, Mr Davis said: "The debts incurred by the women were enforced through fear. | Opening the case, Mr Davis said: "The debts incurred by the women were enforced through fear. |
| "Each of the women were put through what is known to some as a voodoo ceremony." | "Each of the women were put through what is known to some as a voodoo ceremony." |
| Iyamu, who was born in Liberia, will be sentenced on Wednesday. | Iyamu, who was born in Liberia, will be sentenced on Wednesday. |