Nigerian in court for human trafficking
By Helena Selby
A Nigerian is standing trial at an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly trafficking a fellow Nigerian to Ghana for prostitution. The accused person, Ijeoma Ifunaya, alias Enekweizu, allegedly gained the trust of the complainant and brought her to Ghana under the pretext that she will help her complete a hair dressing training which she had begun in Nigeria.
The accused person, upon their arrival in Ghana, lodged the complainant into a hotel and then disclosed her real purpose for her stay in the country. She took the complainant around some prospective places for prostitution and tasked her to make at least GH¢100 a day.
Ijeoma Ifunaya was arrested by the police after the complainant escaped from the hotel room with the aid of a friend.
She pleaded not guilty to the charge of human trafficking contrary to section 2 (1, 2) of Act 694/2005. The court, presided over by Miss Sedina Agbemeva, admitted her to bail under the condition that she deposited a sum of GH¢80,000 to the court. She is expected to make her next appearance of October 2, 2012.
The circumstance surrounding the charges are that in July this year, the accused person who has lived in Ghana travelled to her hometown in Nigeria and recruited the complainant under the pretext that she was going to assist her in Ghana to complete a hair dressing profession which she had started in Nigeria.
The prosecutor DSP Mary Agbozo told the court that the accused person procured an identity card and also facilitated the entire travelling document for the complainant.
She said upon their arrival in Accra, the accused persons went to secure a hotel room where she kept the complainant and induced her into prostitution and tasked her to make at least a minimum of GH¢100 daily which records were kept to that effect.
According to her the accused person earlier took the complainant to the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and some parts of Accra where clients can be solicited for the prostitution business.
“The complainant who was not pleased with the decision of the accused person confronted her that she was not interested in that business and that she wanted to return home.
The accused person out of provocation however threatened her to pay an amount of GH¢2000 before she can gain her freedom” the prosecutor added.
DSP Agbozo mentioned that upon a second thought, the complainant through a friend escaped from the hotel and began loitering about in town where the Adabraka police spotted her.
She said when she was interrogated, she told the police the ordeal she has gone through and later on led the police for the arrest of the accused person.
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