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Crime & Punishment of Thursday, 23 April 2009

Source: GNA

Accra, April 23, GNA- Four Nigerians who allegedly trafficked three

girls to Ghana under the pretext of sending them to Europe but ended up engaging them in prostitution on Thursday appeared before a Circuit Court charged with conspiracy and human trafficking. The court did not take the pleas of Joseph Anayo Eze, a businessman, Miriam William aka Mimi, Ijeoma Inyama and Stephanie Amadi all businesswomen and remanded them into police custody to reappear on May 7 The three victims aged 20 all Nigerians were made to pay GH¢ 500.00 and abandoned them at a hotel in Accra.

The victims were blind folded and sent to a fetish priest where they swore that the money they would earn from prostitution would not be sent to Nigeria. When the facts and charges were read out to accused, they prayed the court to get counsels to represent them in court. The court promised to get in touch with Legal Aid on their behalf. The case narrated by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mary Agbozo was that the complainant was a police officer at the Police headquarters. ASP Agbozo said during the first week in April this year, Eze who is a family friend to the victims transported them to Ghana with intent of sending them to Europe. On reaching Ghana, prosecution said Eze sent the victims to Miriam to solicit sex for money.

Eze took GHC 500.00 each from the victims and left them at the Crown Prince Hotel where they were lodging. Prosecution said Ijoema, Stephanie and Miriam made the victims swore an oath not to disclose their ordeal to anyone. They further made the victims to suck their on blood after cutting their thumbs and stripped them naked where they shaved their pubic hair.

The accused persons also made incisions on their vagina and cleaned the blood with cotton and kept them. Prosecution said accused also blindfolded and took them to a fetish priest where they swore not take any of the proceeds from their sex trade to Nigeria. On April 18 this year, the victims were sent out for prostitution and they managed to inform a pastor of a church about their plight. Prosecution said the pastor informed the Police and accused persons were arrested.