Two Men Jailed 20 Years Each Over Human Trafficking and Cyber Fraud Scheme
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Two Men Jailed 20 Years Each Over Human Trafficking and Cyber Fraud Scheme
Two men have been sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment each after a Tema court found them guilty of human trafficking and causing harm in a case involving Nigerian nationals who were lured to Ghana with false promises of employment and allegedly forced into cyber fraud.
The Tema Regional Police Command secured the convictions following investigations into the operation, which led to the rescue of 11 Nigerian victims who were being held against their will in a house at Sebrepor, a suburb of Tema.
The convicts, Kingsley Ndifon, 29, and Emmanuel Akong, 25, were arrested on August 20, 2023, after the Afienya District Police Command received a distress call reporting that several people had been unlawfully confined.
Police officers, assisted by residents, raided the premises and rescued the victims. During a search of the house, investigators recovered 16 laptops and an iPad believed to have been used in the alleged cybercrime operation.
Victims Lured With False Job Promises
Police investigations revealed that the victims had travelled from Nigeria after being promised employment opportunities in Ghana.
Upon arrival, however, they were allegedly confined in the house, had their mobile phones and identification documents confiscated, and were forced to participate in internet fraud schemes.
Investigators further found that the victims were fed only once a day and subjected to repeated physical abuse whenever they failed to comply with instructions.
According to the police, some victims were beaten with laptop charging cables and machetes, resulting in cutlass wounds, while many were found to be malnourished and in poor health when they were rescued.
Court Hands Down Concurrent Sentences
The suspects were arraigned before Circuit Court B in Tema on charges including conspiracy to commit human trafficking, human trafficking, and causing harm.
After hearing the case, the court, presided over by Her Honour Naomi Adusei Amamiampong Kucour, found both accused persons guilty of human trafficking under the Human Trafficking Act, 2005 (Act 694), and causing harm under the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
Each convict was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for human trafficking and 10 years’ imprisonment for causing harm. The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently, meaning each will serve an effective prison term of 20 years.
The conviction marks another significant outcome in the Ghana Police Service’s efforts to combat human trafficking and organised cybercrime, while highlighting the risks posed by fraudulent employment schemes targeting vulnerable individuals.
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