A Ghanaian court has sentenced two Nigerians to 20 years in prison each for trafficking other Nigerians into Ghana, promising the victims jobs but instead forcing them into cybercrime.
TheNewsGuru reports that the supects, Kingsley Ndifon, 29, and Emmanuel Akong, 25, were found guilty of human trafficking and causing harm by Circuit Court ‘B’ in Tema, Ghana, after a full trial.
According to the Ghana Police Service via its official Facebook page, Ndifon and Akong recruited the victims from Nigeria by promising them jobs in Ghana, but after they arrived, the suspects allegedly confined them and forced them to commit internet fraud.
On August 20, 2023, police in Afienya responded to a distress call about people being held against their will in a house in Sebrepor, a suburb of Tema, and rescued the victims.
A police patrol team, with help from local residents, raided the house and rescued 11 Nigerian nationals who were being held there.
During the operation, police arrested two suspects and found 16 laptops and an iPad in the house.
Investigators subsequently established that the victims had travelled from Nigeria after being promised legitimate employment but were instead subjected to forced cybercrime activities.
According to the police, the suspects took the victims’ mobile phones and identity cards, then forced them to use laptops provided by the traffickers to carry out internet fraud.
The victims were also reportedly kept in harsh conditions and were only given food once a day.
Anyone who refused or failed to follow the suspects’ instructions was reportedly physically abused.
“They were allegedly beaten with laptop cables and machetes, resulting in injuries, including cutlass wounds,” the Ghana Police Service said.
When police rescued the victims, they found them malnourished and in poor health.
Ndifon and Akong were later brought before Circuit Court ‘B’ in Tema, with Justice Naomi Adusei Amamiampong Kucour presiding.
They faced charges including conspiracy to commit crime, human trafficking and causing harm. At the end of the trial, the court convicted both men of human trafficking and causing harm.
Each man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for human trafficking, plus another 10 years for causing harm.
However, the sentences will run concurrently, so each man will serve a total of 20 years in prison.
After the verdict, the Tema Regional Police Command said it is still committed to fighting human trafficking, cybercrime, and other types of abuse.
“The Tema Regional Police Command remains committed to combating human trafficking, cyber-related crimes and all forms of abuse,” the police said.
The command also encouraged the public to quickly report any suspected cases of human trafficking or other crimes to the police.