Child Trafficking Ring Exposed

The Police at Aflao acting upon a tip-off last Friday intercepted five boys from Accra being sent to Nigeria by a 26-year old Togolese cripple, Abdul Rahman.

The five, who were said to be residing with their parents in Accra, included Ahmed Deiat, 13, from Accra New Town, Kofi Isaac, 13, from Sefwi-Asawinso and Kwesi Nyaku also 13, from Akim-Tafo.

The others were Emmanuel Gyakye, 14, from Juaben-Ashanti and Ibrahim Usman, 12, from Abbosey Okai Zongo in Accra. When the Police interrogated Raman, they realised that the boys, who were on the streets were lured without the knowledge of their parents.

Chief Inspector Frimpong Manso, Station Officer, told the Ghana News Agency that following a hint that the cripple had attempted to cross the Aflao border with the boys to Togo in a suspicious manner, policemen were dispatched, "to pick him up with the boys".

Chief Insp. Manso said Rahman claimed the boys, who help him beg for alms in Accra, expressed interest in travelling with him to Nigeria to continue the "trade".

However, the boys told the police that Rahman, who paid their travelling expenses convinced them that they could secure lucrative jobs on arrival.

The Chief Insp. said the suspect sent three of the boys to Aflao a week earlier and followed up with the other two on Friday.

Rahman and the boys have been transferred to the Women and Juvenile Unit of the Police Service in Accra for further investigations.