A Nigerian woman, Rose Ikem, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment for trafficking young girls into prostitution.
The 40-year-old sex trafficker was noted for trafficking young Nigerian ladies to Konongo in the Ashanti region and subjecting them to all forms of abuse.
According to the police prosecutor, ASP Stephen Ofori, in April 2023, a concerned citizen of Konongo informed the police about the inhumane treatment she meted out to the victims.
He said a visit to her residence was met with her absence, but the police found four girls locked up in one of the rooms in the house.
Police officers later laid ambush for her and apprehended her.
Two girls were rescued when she was made to unlock the door, while two ran away.
They were, however, rescued the following day with the help of the complainant.
Further investigations revealed that she forced the girls to pay GHȼ500 to her daily after their prostitution rounds over 14 weeks.
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ASP Ofori added that any time the victims failed to meet their target, Ikem assaulted them physically, causing one of the victims to fracture her left hand.
She was subsequently arraigned before the Circuit Court at Asokwa and charged with human trafficking and assault.
The court, presided over by His Honour Fred Obikyere, sentenced her to 5 years with hard labour for trafficking and 12 months for causing harm.
Both sentences will run concurrently.
The court also ordered her to compensate her victims, whom she lured from Nigeria, with GHȼ6,000 each.
In August 2023, another Nigerian woman was slapped with a 15-year prison sentence for trafficking seven victims from Nigeria to Ghana to engage in prostitution.
The convict, Promise Obianu Awayiaka, is said to have compelled her victims to shave their pubic hair as part of an intimidation ritual to ensure compliance.
She pleaded guilty to seven counts of human trafficking when she appeared before the Sogakope Circuit Court.
Additionally, the 32-year-old hairdresser was ordered to give each victim GH¢10,000 in compensation.
Story By Philipina Badu