The Tema Regional Police Command has secured the conviction and sentencing of two men to 20 years’ imprisonment each for human trafficking and causing harm after they were found guilty by the Circuit Court ‘B’ in Tema.
The convicts, Kingsley Ndifon, 29, and Emmanuel Akong, 25, were arrested on August 20, 2023, at Sebrepor, a suburb of Tema, following a distress call received by the Afienya District Police Command that several people were being held against their will.
A police patrol team, with support from residents, raided the premises, arrested the suspects and rescued 11 Nigerian nationals who had been confined in the house.
During a search of the property, officers recovered 16 laptops and an iPad from rooms occupied by the suspects.
Police investigations revealed that the victims had been lured from Nigeria to Ghana with promises of employment. However, upon arrival, they were allegedly forced into cyber-related criminal activities and held captive at the house.
The suspects reportedly seized the victims’ mobile phones and identification cards and compelled them to engage in internet fraud using laptops provided to them.
Investigators further established that the victims were fed only once a day and were subjected to severe physical abuse whenever they failed to follow instructions. They were allegedly beaten with laptop cables and machetes, leaving some with cutlass wounds. The victims were also found to be malnourished and in poor health.
The accused persons were charged with conspiracy to commit crime, human trafficking, and causing harm. Following the trial, the court found them guilty and sentenced each to 20 years’ imprisonment for human trafficking and 10 years’ imprisonment for causing harm, with both sentences to run concurrently.
The Tema Regional Police Command has reaffirmed its commitment to combating human trafficking, cyber-related crimes and all forms of abuse, urging the public to promptly report suspected human trafficking and other criminal activities to the police.
By: Bernard Mensah
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