The Tema Circuit Court “B” has sentenced two Nigerian nationals, Kingsley Ndifon and Emmanuel Akong, to 20 years’ imprisonment each for human trafficking after they were found guilty of recruiting and abusing victims under the guise of offering them employment opportunities in Ghana.
The court, presided over by Her Honour Mrs Naomi Adusei Amanianpong Kuntour, also sentenced the two accused persons to an additional 10 years’ imprisonment each for causing harm, with the sentences to run concurrently.
However, the court discharged both men on the first count of conspiracy to commit a crime, specifically conspiracy to engage in human trafficking.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mensah Kleku, who led the prosecution, told the court that the accused persons recruited victims from different states in Nigeria and transported them to Ghana with promises of securing jobs for them.
According to the prosecution, after arriving in Ghana, the victims were kept in a house at Sebrepor, a suburb of Afienya, where they were allegedly forced to engage in cyber-related criminal activities against their will.
The court heard that the victims were prevented from contacting their families and were compelled to participate in illegal activities under strict control by the accused persons.
Prosecutors further told the court that victims who refused to comply with instructions were subjected to severe physical abuse, including beatings with machetes and electrical wires.
The victims were reportedly found in poor health, malnourished and suffering from injuries, including cutlass wounds.
Police investigations revealed that some of the victims sustained serious injuries and received medical attention at the Manhean Polyclinic in Tema before being referred to the Police Hospital in Accra for further treatment.
ASP Kleku said the victims were later rescued during a police operation at Sebrepor, where electronic devices believed to have been used in the commission of the offences were retrieved from the accused persons.
Following the trial, the court found Kingsley Ndifon and Emmanuel Akong, both Nigerian nationals, guilty of human trafficking and causing harm and handed them the custodial sentences.
The conviction underscores Ghana’s continued efforts to combat human trafficking, protect vulnerable victims and prosecute individuals involved in exploiting persons through deceptive employment schemes.
