The Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a Nigerian trader, to six years imprisonment, for trafficking two women from her country to Ghana, and compelling them to engage in prostitution.
Favour Chikadia, charged with two counts of human trafficking of two Nigerian women, pleaded not guilty, but the court found her guilty at the end of the trial, and convicted her.
The court presided over by Mrs Christina Cann said it took into consideration the five months and 13 days spent by Chikadia in lawful custody, her inability to meet bail conditions and plea for leniency, in handing the sentence.
The court ordered that the convict be deported after serving her sentence.
Prosecuting, Superintendent of Police Agnes Boafo said that the complainants (names withheld) were unemployed Nigerians.
The court heard that in June, last year, Chikadia contacted the complainants, who were in Nigeria, through an agent, with the promise to secure the victims jobs with attractive salaries in Ghana.
Supt. Boafo said the complainants through the agents travelled to Ghana and were housed in a hostel at Kotobabi, where they were “hoping to begin work as promised them.”
The prosecution said contrary to the promise of jobs, Chikadia engaged the complainants in prostitution.
According to Supt. Boafo, “as they (complainants) could no longer endure the prostitution, they escaped and reported the case at the Accra Regional Police headquarters for investigations.” —GNA