TEMA, GHANA — The Circuit Court ‘B’ in Tema has sentenced two men to 20 years in prison each for human trafficking and causing severe physical harm to eleven individuals.
The convicts, Kingsley Ndifon, 29, and Emmanuel Akong, 25, were found guilty of luring eleven Nigerian nationals to Ghana under the false pretext of securing lucrative jobs. Instead of the promised employment, the victims were held hostage and forced to execute cyber-related internet fraud.
The Rescue and Investigation
The operation came to light following a critical distress call received by the Afienya District Police Command. On August 20, 2023, a tactical police patrol team, heavily supported by concerned local residents, raided a residential building in Sebrepor, a suburb of Tema.
The security forces successfully rescued the eleven Nigerian nationals who were being detained against their will. During a thorough search of the premises, police investigators recovered sixteen laptops and one iPad used to facilitate the digital scam operations.
Horrific Details of Abuse Exposed
Official police investigations painted a grim picture of the victims’ living conditions. Upon arrival in Ghana, the convicts confiscated the victims’ mobile phones, passports, and identification cards.
The victims were confined to the rooms, starved, and fed only once a day. Furthermore, whenever they failed to meet cyber fraud instructions or targets, they were subjected to severe physical abuse. Convicts routinely beat the hostages with laptop cables and machetes, leaving them malnourished, heavily injured, and suffering from open cutlass wounds.
The Verdict
The suspects were arraigned before Her Honour Naomi Adusei Amamiampog Kucour. They faced multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit crime and human trafficking under the Human Trafficking Act, 2005 (Act 694), as well as causing harm under the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
The court sentenced each convict to 20 years’ imprisonment for human trafficking (Count Two) and 10 years’ imprisonment for causing harm (Count Three). Because Her Honour ruled that the sentences will run concurrently, both Ndifon and Akong will serve a maximum of 20 years each in hard labor.
In a public statement signed by the Head of Public Affairs for Tema, ASP Dede Dzakpasu, the Tema Regional Police Command re-emphasized its commitment to wiping out human trafficking and cybercrime. The authority urged the general public to actively report any suspicious neighborhood movements to law enforcement agencies.
Below is a statement from the Police.
