Two persons who allegedly trafficked three persons from Nigeria to Ghana and compelled them to engage in prostitution have appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
Chidemma Nweke, also known as Mama, a 24-year-old sex worker, and Mercy Francis, a 27-year-old trader, are alleged to have trafficked the victims from Nigeria to Ghana under the pretext of securing them jobs.
The accused persons were busted by a team of police personnel at Asuogya Krobo in Wassa Akropong in the Western North Region.
The accused persons are being held on the charges of abetment of crime to wit human trafficking and human trafficking.
Chidemma Nweke trafficked one person, while Mercy Francis, also known as Blessing or Gina, trafficked two persons.
They have denied the charges, and the court, presided over by Mrs Christina Cann, has remanded them into lawful custody to reappear on April 29, 2025.
Meanwhile, two of the accused persons’ accomplices, whose names were given as Favour and Blessing, are at large.
Prosecution told the court that the complainant was Chief Calistus Eloziepuwa, the President of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation in Ghana.
The accused persons, Nweke and Francis, were Nigerian nationals who were living at Wassa Akropong in the Western North Region.
On April 7, 2025, the complainant and Favour Chinecherem (victim) went to the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, Criminal Investigations Department Headquarters, and reported that a good Samaritan assisted Favour to escape from the hands of the human traffickers at Wassa Akropong en route to Accra.
Prosecution said that when the victim was interviewed, she stated that other victims had been held in bondage at Asuogva Krobo in Wassa Akropong and mentioned the names of all four accused persons.
On April 10, 2025, a team of personnel from the Unit, led by the Station Officer, left for Wassa Akropong for the arrest and rescue operations.
Prosecution said that at the end of the operation, six additional victims were rescued, and the two accused persons were arrested.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Chidemma recruited and transported Favour Chinecherem from Nigeria to Ghana under the pretext of working in her boutique.
However, on reaching Ghana, she ‘harboured’ her at a brothel in Asuogva Krobo and later forced the victim into prostitution and collected the proceeds.
The court heard that after a period, Mercy Francis, managing the brothel and a drinking spot, called Royal City Pub and advised Chidemma Nweke to sell Favour Chinecherem.
Eventually Mercy Francis brought buyers; Favour who is the third accused person, and one Blessing, the fourth accused, eventually bought the victim at GH¢5,000.
Mercy, after the sale of the victim, collected her share of GH¢500.00, which she used to paint the pub.
Prosecution said investigations are ongoing to get the other accomplices arrested.
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