2 Jailed 20 Years Each For Trafficking 11 Nigerians To Ghana For Cyber Fraud
The Tema Regional Police Command has secured the conviction and sentencing of two men for human trafficking and causing harm after they lured 11 Nigerian nationals to Ghana under false job promises and forced them into internet fraud.
Kingsley Ndifon, 29, and Emmanuel Akong, 25, were convicted by the Circuit Court ‘B’, Tema, presided over by Her Honour Naomi Adusei Amamiampog Kucour.
The accused persons were arraigned on charges of conspiracy to commit crime, namely human trafficking, contrary to Section 23(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29); human trafficking, contrary to Section 2(2) of the Human Trafficking Act, 2005 (Act 694); and causing harm, contrary to Section 69 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
Following the trial, Ndifon and Akong were found guilty on Counts Two and Three respectively.
Each was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for human trafficking and 10 years for causing harm. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Background
According to a police statement, the two accused were arrested on 20 August 2023 at Sebrepor, a suburb of Tema, following a distress call to the Afienya District Police Command that some persons were being held in a house against their will.
A police patrol team, with the assistance of concerned residents, stormed the location and arrested the suspects. Eleven Nigerian nationals were rescued from the house.
A search of the premises led to the recovery of sixteen laptops and one iPad from rooms occupied by the suspects.
Police investigations established that the victims had been recruited from Nigeria to Ghana by the suspects under the pretext of securing employment for them.
Upon arrival in Ghana, they were allegedly forced into cyber-related activities and confined to the house at Sebrepor. The suspects reportedly confiscated the victims’ mobile phones and identification cards and compelled them to engage in internet fraud using the laptops provided to them.
Investigations further revealed that the victims were fed once a day and subjected to severe physical abuse whenever they failed to comply. They were allegedly beaten with laptop cables and machetes, resulting in injuries including cutlass wounds. The victims were also found to be malnourished and in poor health.
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