2 Nigerians Sentenced to 20 Years in Ghana for Trading Compatriots Into Cybercrime
- A Ghanaian court convicted Kingsley Ndifon, 29, and Emmanuel Akong, 25, on charges of human trading and causing harm
- Police rescued 11 Nigerian nationals who had been held captive at a house in Tema after receiving a distress call in August 2023
- Ghana Police Service announced the sentencing on Wednesday, revealing victims were beaten with laptop cables and machetes
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Two Nigerian men have each been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Ghanaian court after being found guilty of luring fellow Nigerians to Ghana with fake job offers and forcing them to commit internet fraud.
Kingsley Ndifon, 29, and Emmanuel Akong, 25, were convicted of human trading and causing harm by Circuit Court 'B' in Tema, presided over by Her Honour Naomi Adusei Amamiampong Kucour.
Source: Twitter
The court handed each man a 20-year sentence for human trading and a concurrent 10-year term for causing harm, meaning both will serve 20 years.
According to PUCH, the Ghana Police Service announced the verdict in a statement published on Facebook on July 5, which was seen by Legit.ng's correspondent on July 7.
How the suspects were caught
On August 20, 2023, officers from the Afienya District Police Command responded to a distress call reporting that a group of people were being held against their will at a property in Sebrepor, a suburb of Tema.
A patrol team, supported by local residents, raided the premises and freed 11 Nigerian nationals who had been confined there. The two suspects were arrested at the scene, and 16 laptops along with an iPad were seized.
Investigators established that the victims had been recruited in Nigeria through promises of legitimate employment. Once they arrived in Ghana, their mobile phones and identity documents were taken from them, and they were coerced into carrying out online fraud using laptops supplied by the suspects.
Abuse and conditions inside the house
The conditions the victims endured were described as severe. Police said they were fed only once a day and subjected to physical beatings whenever they refused to comply.
"They were allegedly beaten with laptop cables and machetes, resulting in injuries, including cutlass wounds," the Ghana Police Service said. Investigators found the rescued individuals to be malnourished and in poor health at the time of their rescue.
The two men were subsequently charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, human trading, and causing harm before being brought to trial at Circuit Court 'B' in Tema.
Police reaffirm commitment after verdict
Following the conviction, the Tema Regional Police Command said the case reflected its broader efforts to tackle exploitation and cybercrime.
"The Tema Regional Police Command remains committed to combating human trading, cyber-related crimes and all forms of abuse," the command said, adding that members of the public should report any suspected cases of human trading to the police without delay.
US jails popular Nigerian politician for 5 years
Legit.ng earlier reported that The United States court has jailed a 42-year-old Nigerian man, Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, for five years in federal prison for orchestrating a romance scam online, which defrauded victims of over $3.5 million.
In a statement, the US Department of Justice said the sentencing was handed down to him by US District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright on Monday, June 22, in Washington, and described the crime as devastating.
Source: Legit.ng
