A 31-year-old Nigerian, Okolo Chukwakadibia Jackson, has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for human trafficking, by the Kweikuma Gender Circuit Court.
Additionally, the court imposed a fine of GH¢1,200.00, on the convict, for illegally entering the country, or in default, serve additional six-months imprisonment.
The court, presided over by Naa Amerley Akowuah, jailed Jackson for trafficking a 16-year-old girl, and two other females from Onitsha, in Anambra state, Nigeria, to Ghana.
Jackson was convicted on his own plea on two counts of human trafficking and illegal entry.
Presenting the facts, the prosecution told the court that the accused entered the country illegally in 2021, and was arrested at Aboi Nkwanta, near Asankrangwa, in the Western Region.
The court heard that the 16-year-old victim indicated that Ms Ella, an accomplice of the primary suspect, recruited them (girls) from Nigeria under the guise of taking them to her brother, the primary suspect, in Dubai, to serve as salesgirls.
According to the prosecution N668, 200 was sent by Jackson from Ghana to Ms Ella, to cover the cost of recruitment, lodging, feeding and transportation of the girls from Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria, to Asankrangwa, in the Western Region.
The prosecution said the victims arrived in Lagos with the aid of an agent, who handed them over to a driver known only as I.K.
The court heard that the driver accommodated the girls for the night and he (I.K.) drove them in his vehicle to Accra the next day.
The prosecution said in Accra, IK arranged for an Asankrangwa bound bus for the victims, and gave Jackson’s contact number to the bus driver to arrange for the victims to call him (Jackson) upon arrival.
The court heard that immediately the convict received the victims, he singled out the 16-year-old girl and took her to a shrine.
At the shrine, the girl was asked to swear, holding an egg, that she would neither run away nor disclose whatsoever ordeal she suffered to anyone, else she would die.
The court heard that victim was finally taken to a whorehouse, and handed over to a Nigerian woman, called Madam Special, in charge of the facility.
The prosecution said Jackson later gave an undisclosed amount of money and packs of condoms to the victim, after which she was directed to a room and ordered to begin working as a prostitute.
The court heard that the victim was informed that the entire proceeds from her illicit trade would go to Jackson.
The prosecution said the victim escaped from the brothel and met a Good Samaritan, who took her to the Asankrangwa Sector Command of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).
The GIS Sector Commander, Superintendent Kwabena Agyei, embarked on an operation to rescue the victims and arrest the perpetrators, but missed Madam Special.
During interrogation, Jackson admitted that he took the other three girls to Ms Gifty, who is also at large, and collected GH¢8,500.00 from her (Ms Gifty). – GNA
