A Ghanaian court has convicted two Nigerians, Jessica Daniel and Kelvin Johnson, for trafficking two Nigerian women to Ghana and forcing them into prostitution. The Achimota Circuit Court found the duo guilty of conspiracy to commit a crime and two counts of human trafficking.
According to the prosecution, Jessica Daniel, a 24-year-old hairdresser, and Kelvin Johnson, a 30-year-old Bitcoin trader, recruited the victims from Nigeria under the pretext of securing jobs as domestic servants. However, upon arrival in Ghana, the victims were forced into prostitution, with Jessica demanding they pay GH₵8,000 each to gain their freedom.
The court heard that Johnson linked the victims to an agent in Nigeria, picked them up at the lorry station in Accra, and took them to an apartment where they were exploited. The victims, Gloria Vincent and Gloria Igbetar, were rescued by Chief Calistus Elozipuwa of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) in Ghana.
Sentencing
The court deferred sentencing pending the outcome of a pregnancy test for Jessica Daniel. However, in a subsequent development, the convicts were sentenced to 18 years in prison, with each receiving nine years of hard labor. The judge, Akosua Anokyewaa Adjepong, considered their status as first-time offenders but emphasized the gravity of the crime and the psychological harm inflicted on the victims.
Reaction
The head of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, DSP William Ayariga, commended the court’s decision, reaffirming the unit’s commitment to combating human trafficking in Ghana. He warned that Ghana is not a safe haven for human traffickers and vowed to continue arresting, investigating, and prosecuting offenders.