Thursday 5 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 26212Human trafficking; organising prostitution; money laundering · Co. Dublin

Human trafficking convictions on appeal in Dublin

Two Nigerian women, Alicia Edosa, 45, and Edith Enoghaghase, 32, were convicted of human trafficking, organising prostitution and money laundering after a six-week trial at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court in June 2021. They were found to have forced four Nigerian women into prostitution between September 2016 and June 2018, with the victims working in towns across Ireland after being told they owed up to €60,000 for their travel. Edosa was sentenced to five years and eight months and Enoghaghase to five years and one month in September 2021, while Omonuwa Desmond Osaighbovo, 30, received a suspended sentence for money laundering. The convictions are now on appeal at the Court of Appeal in Dublin, where Edosa's counsel argued missing text message evidence warranted a quashed conviction and the State argued the sentences were unduly lenient, with judgments reserved in June 2022.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court30 Jun
    2 reports
  5. Convicted11 Jun
    2 reports
  6. Sentenced28 Sep
    4 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Two Nigerian women ran a prostitution ring from a base in Mullingar, forcing four Nigerian women into prostitution between September 2016 and June 2018.
  • The victims were told they owed between €35,000 and €60,000 for arranging their travel and were forced to work in towns including Limerick, Cork, Galway, Castlebar, Navan, Athlone, Letterkenny, Cavan and Dundalk.
  • Four women gave evidence that they were forced into prostitution after a voodoo ceremony in Nigeria, with one forced to pull the heart out of a chicken as part of the ritual.
Where
Edosa lived at The Harbour, Market Point, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, and Enoghaghase lived at Meeting House Lane, Mullingar.
When
The trafficking offences occurred between September 2016 and June 2018.
Investigation
The Garda investigation began after two victims made a formal complaint at Store Street Garda Station in Dublin in May 2018, and the women were arrested and questioned during 15 interviews after a search of their homes in April 2019.
Charges
All three defendants pleaded not guilty to a total of 63 separate offences under the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008 and other legislation.
In court
  • The case was tried at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court over six weeks in June 2021, and Edosa and Enoghaghase were found guilty of two counts of trafficking, organising prostitution and money laundering, while Osaighbovo was found guilty of four money laundering offences.
  • The State appealed the sentences as unduly lenient and Edosa appealed her conviction on the basis of missing text message evidence at the Court of Appeal in Dublin in June 2022, with judgments reserved.
Sentence
In September 2021, Judge Francis Comerford sentenced Edosa to five years and eight months backdated to 14 April 2019 and Enoghaghase to five years and one month backdated to 10 June 2021, with concurrent sentences for prostitution and money laundering, and Osaighbovo received a suspended sentence of two years and three months.
Other details
The two women were the first people in Ireland convicted of human trafficking.
102 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatTwo Nigerian women ran a prostitution ring from a base in Mullingar (thejournal.ie)
  • whatEdosa and Enoghaghase were each found guilty on two counts of trafficking women into Ireland (thejournal.ie)
  • whatEdosa was found not guilty on two other counts of human trafficking (thejournal.ie)
  • whatBoth women were convicted of organising prostitution and money laundering offences (thejournal.ie)
  • whatOsaighbovo was found not guilty of a single charge of prostitution but guilty of four money laundering offences (thejournal.ie)
  • whatAll three were found not guilty of the commission of an offence for a criminal organisation (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe accused had pleaded not guilty to a total of 63 separate offences (thejournal.ie)
  • whatFour women gave evidence that they were forced into prostitution after a voodoo ceremony in Nigeria (thejournal.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe victims travelled from Nigeria via north Africa and southern Europe before arriving in Ireland (thejournal.ie)
  • whatOne witness was trafficked on a promise of earning up to €3,500 per month as a shop assistant (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe witness was a 26-year-old mother of one (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe witness was raped in Tripoli (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe witness used a false Irish passport to get through immigration at Dublin Airport (thejournal.ie)
  • whatEdosa threatened to kill the woman's son and family in Nigeria if she did not follow instructions (thejournal.ie)
  • whatIf the woman collected €1,000 she was only allowed to keep €10 (thejournal.ie)
  • whatTwo Nigerian nationals brought four young women from a deprived background illegally to Ireland to force them into prostitution and exploit them. (gript.ie)
  • whatThe victims were told they owed the defendants between €35,000 and €60,000 for arranging their travel (thejournal.ie)
  • whatEdosa and Enoghaghase were each found guilty of two counts of trafficking women around Ireland between September 2016 and June 2018 (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatOne woman was forced to pull the heart out of a chicken as part of the voodoo ritual (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe victims had travelled believing they would work as shop assistants but were forced into prostitution (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe women were told they owed the defendants sums ranging from €35,000 to €60,000 for arranging their travel to Ireland (irishmirror.ie, thejournal.ie, donegallive.ie)
  • whatOne woman trafficked by Edosa revealed she had tried to take her own life (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatA victim who now lives in the UK suffered from depression and PTSD and could not work (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatTwo Nigerian nationals brought four young women from a deprived background illegally to Ireland (gript.ie)
  • whatThe women were forced to work in prostitution and were exploited (gript.ie)
  • whatEdosa's counsel Ken Fogarty SC told the court that two complainants handed phones to gardaí which Edosa had used to contact them. (thejournal.ie)
  • what29 out of 101 text messages had been wiped from one phone. (thejournal.ie)
  • what27 out of 117 messages had been removed from the second phone. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe trial heard evidence from four women who claimed they were forced into prostitution in Ireland after a voodoo ceremony in Nigeria. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatOne woman claimed she was forced to pull the heart out of a chicken as part of the ritual. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe women had travelled believing they were going to work as shop assistants. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe maximum penalty for human trafficking is life imprisonment. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe Sentencing Council for England and Wales had recommended terms of up to 15 years for similar offences. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatFour women claimed they were forced into prostitution in Ireland after a voodoo ceremony in Nigeria. (donegallive.ie)
  • whatOne woman was forced to pull the heart out of a chicken as part of the ritual. (donegallive.ie)
  • whatTwo complainants handed phones to gardai which they said Edosa had used to contact them. (donegallive.ie)
  • what29 out of 101 text messages had been wiped from one phone and 27 out of 117 from the second. (donegallive.ie)
  • whereThe woman worked in Limerick, Cork, Galway, Castlebar, Navan, Athlone, Letterkenny, Cavan and Dundalk (thejournal.ie)
  • whereThe victims were forced to work as prostitutes in locations including Limerick, Cork, Galway, Castlebar, Navan, Athlone, Letterkenny, Cavan and Dundalk (thejournal.ie)
  • whereEdosa lived at The Harbour, Market Point, Mullingar, Co Westmeath (irishmirror.ie, extra.ie)
  • whereEnoghaghase lived at Meeting House Lane, Mullingar (irishmirror.ie, extra.ie)
  • whereThe women were forced to work as prostitutes in Limerick, Cork, Galway, Castlebar, Navan, Athlone, Letterkenny, Cavan and Dundalk (irishmirror.ie, donegallive.ie)
  • whereThe women were forced to work as prostitutes in locations including Limerick, Cork, Galway, Castlebar, Navan, Athlone, Letterkenny, Cavan and Dundalk. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenThe trafficking offences occurred between September 2016 and June 2018 (thejournal.ie, donegallive.ie)
  • whenThe trafficking offences occurred on dates between September 2016 and June 2018 (extra.ie)
  • investigationThe Garda investigation began after two victims made a formal complaint at Store Street Garda station in May 2018 (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationEdosa and Enoghaghase made no admissions during 15 interviews after a search of their homes in April 2019 (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationThe Garda investigation began after two victims made a formal complaint at Store Street Garda Station in Dublin in May 2018 (extra.ie)
  • investigationEdosa and Enoghaghase were arrested and questioned but made no admissions during 15 interviews (extra.ie)
  • investigationGardaí searched their homes in April 2019 (extra.ie)
  • chargeThe charges were brought under the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008 (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeAll three defendants pleaded not guilty to a total of 63 separate offences (thejournal.ie, extra.ie)
  • chargeBoth were also convicted of a single charge of organising prostitution and a series of money laundering offences (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeAll three had pleaded not guilty to a total of 63 separate offences (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe two women were found guilty of human trafficking, prostitution and money laundering (gript.ie)
  • chargeEdosa and Enoghaghase were found guilty of two counts of trafficking women around Ireland (extra.ie)
  • chargeBoth women were also convicted of organising prostitution and money-laundering offences (extra.ie)
  • chargeEdosa and Enoghaghase pleaded not guilty to two counts of trafficking women on dates between September 2016 and June 2018. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeThey also pleaded not guilty to a single charge of organising prostitution under Section 9 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeThey pleaded not guilty to 33 counts of money laundering offences under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2020. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeEdosa and Enoghaghase pleaded not guilty to two counts of trafficking women in towns around Ireland including Letterkenny. (donegallive.ie)
  • chargeThey also pleaded not guilty to a charge of organising prostitution under Section 9 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993. (donegallive.ie)
  • chargeThey also faced 33 counts of money laundering under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2020. (donegallive.ie)
  • courtThe trial was a six-week jury trial at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe jury consisted of ten men and two women (thejournal.ie)
  • courtAlicia Edosa, 44, was found guilty of human trafficking, prostitution and money laundering. (gript.ie)
  • courtEdith Enoghaghas, 31, was found guilty of human trafficking, prostitution and money laundering. (gript.ie)
  • courtThe case was tried at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court over six weeks in June 2021 (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe conviction followed a six-week jury trial at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court in June (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe trial was a six-week jury trial at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court in June (extra.ie)
  • courtThey were found guilty following a six-week trial at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court in June 2021. (thejournal.ie, donegallive.ie)
  • courtThe State appealed the sentences on the grounds they were unduly lenient. (thejournal.ie, donegallive.ie)
  • courtEnoghaghase changed her legal team at the last minute and her appeal against conviction could not proceed. (thejournal.ie, donegallive.ie)
  • courtThe case was heard at the Court of Appeal in Dublin. (donegallive.ie)
  • courtThe DPP's counsel maintained no case had been made that the prosecution or gardai did not seek the missing evidence. (donegallive.ie)
  • courtThe DPP argued the maximum penalty for human trafficking is life and the Sentencing Council for England and Wales recommended terms of up to 15 years. (donegallive.ie)
  • sentenceEdosa was sentenced to five years and eight months backdated to 14 April 2019 (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceEnoghaghase was sentenced to five years and one month backdated to 10 June 2021 (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceBoth women were sentenced to 16 months for prostitution and 20 months for money laundering to run concurrently (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceAn additional consecutive 20-month sentence was imposed on Edosa for the greater number of money laundering offences (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceOsaighbovo was given a suspended sentence of two years and three months for money laundering (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceJudge Francis Comerford imposed a jail term of five years and eight months on Edosa backdated to 14 April 2019 (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceJudge Comerford sentenced Enoghaghase to five years and one month backdated to her conviction on 10 June 2021 (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceBoth women were sentenced to 16 months for the prostitution conviction and 20 months for money laundering to run concurrently (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceAn additional consecutive sentence of 20 months was imposed on Edosa for the greater number of money laundering offences (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe two women were sentenced to more than five years in jail (gript.ie)
  • sentenceJudge Francis Comerford sentenced Edosa to five years and eight months in prison (extra.ie)
  • sentenceEdosa's sentence was backdated to 14 April 2019 when she was first placed in custody (extra.ie)
  • sentenceEnoghaghase was sentenced to five years and one month in prison (extra.ie)
  • sentenceEnoghaghase's sentence was backdated to her conviction on 10 June 2021 (extra.ie)
  • sentenceOsaighbovo was given a suspended sentence of two years and three months for the money-laundering convictions (extra.ie)
  • sentenceEnoghaghase was jailed for five years and one month, backdated to her conviction on 10 June 2021. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceEnoghaghase was jailed for five years and one month, backdated to 10 June 2021. (donegallive.ie)
  • otherThe two women were the first people in Ireland convicted of human trafficking (thejournal.ie)
  • otherEdosa was one of eight children who left Nigeria at 11 and was raped by a family member (thejournal.ie)
  • otherEdosa moved to Ireland in 2011 with her estranged Slovakian husband and had no previous convictions (thejournal.ie)
  • otherEnoghaghase was placed in foster care between 2007 and 2008 after being found working as a young prostitute in Sligo (thejournal.ie)
  • otherOsaighbovo suffered gunshot wounds in Nigeria in January 2018 requiring amputation of his left thumb (thejournal.ie)
  • otherEdosa maintained her innocence and claimed the victims made false allegations to secure their right to remain in Ireland (irishmirror.ie, extra.ie)
  • otherThe two Nigerian women were the first people in Ireland to be convicted of human trafficking (extra.ie)
  • otherThe judge said the accused coerced victims into a sustained and degrading period of prostitution for financial gain (extra.ie)
  • otherOsaighbovo suffered gunshot wounds during a visit to Nigeria in January 2018 requiring amputation of his left thumb (extra.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 1 Jul2022
    In courtdonegallive.ie, its first report
    Evidence missing in trial of woman convicted in landmark human trafficking trial, court told

    Court of Appeal hearing on 30 June 2022: Edosa's appeal against conviction based on missing evidence (deleted text messages from complainants' phones), State's appeal on unduly lenient sentences, and Enoghaghase's conviction appeal deferred due to last-minute change of legal team. Judgments reserved.

    convicted, Alicia Edosa, 45, female, Nigerian, named, non-irishAlicia Edosaconvicted, Edith Enoghaghase, 32, female, Nigerian, named, non-irishEdith Enoghaghasevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, female
  2. 30 Jun2022
    In courtthejournal.ie, follow-up
    Evidence missing in trial of woman convicted for human trafficking, court told

    Provides detailed account of the Court of Appeal hearing: Edosa's counsel Ken Fogarty SC argued 29 of 101 and 27 of 117 text messages were deleted from complainants' phones; the DPP's Thomas O'Malley SC argued sentences were unduly lenient citing the Sentencing Council for England and Wales recommending up to 15 years; Enoghaghase's conviction appeal was adjourned due to a last-minute change of legal team; judgments reserved.

    accused, Alicia Edosa, 45, female, Nigerian, named, non-irishAlicia Edosaaccused, Edith Enoghaghase, 32, female, Nigerian, named, non-irishEdith Enoghaghasevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, female
  3. 29 Sep2021
    Sentencedextra.ie, its first report
    Two women who ran prostitution ring sentenced for human trafficking - Extra.ie

    Reports the sentencing hearing at which Judge Francis Comerford imposed five years and eight months on Edosa and five years and one month on Enoghaghase, and a suspended two-year-three-month sentence on Osaighbovo. Includes details of the investigation, the judge's remarks on the nature of the operation, and Edosa's continued claim of innocence.

    convicted, Alicia Edosa, 45, female, Nigerian, named, non-irishAlicia Edosaconvicted, Edith Enoghaghase, 31, female, Nigerian, named, non-irishEdith Enoghaghaseconvicted, Omonuwa Desmond Osaighbovo, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Omonuwa Desmond Osaighbovo
  4. 28 Sep2021
    Sentencedgript.ie, follow-up
    Two Nigerian women jailed for human trafficking, organising prostitution in Ireland - Gript

    Reports the sentencing of the two convicted women to more than five years in jail for the trafficking offences.

    convicted, Alicia Edosa, 44, female, Nigerian, named, non-irishAlicia Edosaconvicted, Edith Enoghaghas, 31, female, Nigerian, named, non-irishEdith Enoghaghas
  5. 28 Sep2021
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, its first report
    Two women jailed for trafficking and running prostitution ring in Ireland

    Sentencing details: Edosa jailed 5 years 8 months (backdated to 14 April 2019), Enoghaghase 5 years 1 month (backdated to 10 June 2021), plus concurrent 16 months for prostitution and 20 months for money laundering; Edosa received an additional consecutive 20 months. Judge Comerford described victims as 'indentured slaves' and the operation as 'more a cottage industry than being part of a tightly controlled criminal organisation.'

    convicted, Alicia Edosa, 45, female, Nigerian, named, non-irishAlicia Edosaconvicted, Edith Enoghaghase, 31, female, Nigerian, named, non-irishEdith Enoghaghaseconvicted, Omonuwa Desmond Osaighbovo, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Omonuwa Desmond Osaighbovo
  6. 28 Sep2021
    Sentencedthejournal.ie, follow-up
    Two women given jail sentences in excess of five years for human trafficking offences

    Reports the sentencing hearing at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court, including specific jail terms, victim impact statements, background on the defendants, and the judge's remarks on the nature of the offences.

    convicted, Alicia Edosa, 45, female, Nigerian, named, non-irishAlicia Edosaconvicted, Edith Enoghaghase, 31, female, Nigerian, named, non-irishEdith Enoghaghaseconvicted, Omonuwa Desmond Osaighbovo, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Omonuwa Desmond Osaighbovovictim, female, Nigerian, non-irishvictim, female, Nigerian, non-irishvictim, female, Nigerian, non-irishvictim, female, Nigerian, non-irish
  7. 14 Jun2021
    Convictedgript.ie, its first report
    Two Nigerians found guilty of sex trafficking vulnerable women in Ireland - Gript

    Reports the guilty verdict for Edosa and Enoghaghas, confirming the court found they trafficked four young women into prostitution in Ireland.

    convicted, Alicia Edosa, 44, female, Nigerian, named, non-irishAlicia Edosaconvicted, Edith Enoghaghas, 31, female, Nigerian, named, non-irishEdith Enoghaghasvictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, female
  8. 11 Jun2021
    Convictedthejournal.ie, first report
    Two women who ran prostitution ring from Mullingar found guilty of human trafficking

    Reports the guilty verdicts at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court, details of the trial evidence from four victims, the judge's remand decisions, and comments from the investigating superintendent.

    convicted, Alicia Edosa, 44, female, Nigerian, named, non-irishAlicia Edosaconvicted, Edith Enoghaghase, 31, female, Nigerian, named, non-irishEdith Enoghaghaseconvicted, Omonuwa Desmond Osaighbovo, 30, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Omonuwa Desmond Osaighbovo