Fisherman Gets 18 Months For Attempting To Sell Son

Accra (GAR), July 7, Okaidja Okai, a fisherman, who attempted to sell his nine-year-old son for 43 million cedis in order to expand his fishing business was today sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment in hard labour by a circuit tribunal in Accra. Okai, alias Okaidja Armah, 45, who was resident at Mpoase-Dansoman in Accra, pleaded guilty to slave dealing. The prosecutor, Police Inspector Alex Yartey Tawiah, told the court that in May, last year, Okai told a friend that he wanted to sell his son because he needed money to buy out-board motors, canoes and fishing nets. The prosecution said the friend lured the accused to the offices of Radio Gold where, he told him, there was a "prospective buyer". At the offices of Radio Gold, Okai and his friend went to the general manager and the accused told him he was offering his son for sale at 43 million cedis. The manager rang the police who arrested the accused.