A former security guard from Gravesend has today been found guilty of using black magic to traffic children for prostitution.

Osezua Osolase, of Beaumont Drive, was convicted of five counts of trafficking for sexual purposes, raping one of his victims and having sexual activity with a child and is now facing a long time in prison.

The 42-year-old (pictured left) wept as the jury returned its verdicts after deliberating for more than 14 hours – which included acquitting him on three further three rapes, one trafficking and one assault causing actual bodily harm charge. He had denied all the offences.

Judge Adele Williams remanded him into custody until Monday, when he will be sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court.

She will also decide which of the equipment that he used during the trafficking will be destroyed and whether or not to recommend he be kicked out of the country.

The Crown Prosecution Service has also launched an investigation into whether or not Osolase's marriage to a German national was genuine. He also has a child with another woman.

Osezua Osolase is caught on camera trafficking a girl at Stansted airport

After the verdicts at Canterbury Crown Court, DI Eddie Fox, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: "We are happy he has been convicted of trafficking and two sex offences. He is an evil man who has traded on human misery.

"Osolase took girls – who had suffered lives of poverty in Nigeria – and used them as human cargo for his own greed and not shown an ounce of care for his victims.

"Juju is a well established belief, but Osolase corrupted it in a bid to gain control and bend the wills of his victims. He exploited the girls and took advantage of the fact they had nobody.

"They were scared, in an unfamiliar country and felt they had no other option but to do as they were told.

"I would like to praise my fellow officers, the Crown Prosecution Service and its team - Sarah Ellis Rachel Beckett and Di Waterson - for all their excellent and painstaking work in bringing this man to justice."

The house in Beaumont Drive where Osezua Osolase lived

The judge also commended DC Simon Harrold for his "thorough investigation".

Detectives investigating the trafficking ring – which smuggled the young teenagers from Nigeria to Italy and Spain via the UK – believe there were at least 28 victims.

Osolase had claimed he arrived in the UK illegally in 2007 – and was thrown out after he was then found to be using stolen credit cards.

But after arriving back in Nigeria, he claimed he married German national Gabrielle Wifling – and was then given the right to return to live in Kent.

"he is an evil man who has traded on human misery..." – detective inspector eddie fox

The jury heard evidence from three of the victims – telling of their rape ordeals in their home country, before being sent to England and into the hands of the evil Osolase.

He met them at the airport, forced them to undergo juju witchcraft rituals to enforce their compliance, before sexually molesting some of them.

The jury heard evidence from three girls, who were aged as young as 14, who alleged they were forced to undergo juju magic rituals to ensure their silence.

Some of them told how their nail clippings, pubic hair cuttings and blood were all used in chilling ceremonies to frighten them into remaining silent about their ordeals.

Trafficker Osezua Osolase was described as 'evil' by police

Osolase – who worked as a guard at one of London's plush fashion shops – then arranged flights and false passports before taking them to Italy and Spain and life as child prostitutes.

The six-week trial involved the jury hearing heartbreaking evidence from the victims, aged as young as 14 and some who thought they were coming to the UK to better their education.

Instead, they were prey to Osolase and his gang who paid for their flights from Nigeria – telling them they had to pay back the cash through prostitution.

If they failed then they were subjected to witchcraft fears that through juju magic bad things would happen to them.

Osezua Osolase will be sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on Monday

Roger Coe-Salazar, chief Crown prosecutor for the CPS in the south east, said: "This case brings into sharp focus the impact that human trafficking has on the lives of victims.

"These young girls were essentially used as commodities in what can only be described as a form of modern day slavery.

"The vulnerability and the heartless abuse they suffered at every turn is only matched by the repulsiveness and cowardice of the perpetrator. One can only begin to imagine the desperate misery they suffered."