Convicted couple face up to 55 yrs in prison for enslaving Nigerian widow at their Texas home
By APTuesday, February 2, 2010
Texas couple guilty of enslaving Nigerian widow
FORT WORTH, Texas — The Justice Department says a federal jury has found a couple guilty of enslaving a Nigerian widow at their Texas home for nine years.
The department says in a statement that Emmanuel and Ngozi Nnaji each face up to 55 years in prison after their convictions Tuesday on conspiracy, forced labor and other charges.
The statement says the Nigerian-born couple seized the woman’s passport and made her work long hours as their servant with no days off and little pay. They provided no support for her six children in Nigeria and limited contact with her family.
The statement says Emmanuel Nnaji sexually assaulted the widow.
She escaped in February 2006 with the help of a Nigerian priest who lived in Texas.
