Commercial sex workers granted bail in Enchi

The Enchi District Magistrate court has granted bail in a total sum of GH?14,000.00 with seven sureties to five commercial sex workers and two men for their alleged involvement in human trafficking and operating a brothel.

The accused are Amanda Johnson, 27, Emerald Percious 23, Angel Ainu, 24, Jennifer Emeka, 32 and Esther Diamond 27, all Nigerians and residents at Abokyia in the Aowin Municipality of the Western North Region.

Anthony Kofi Lucky, 32, is the husband of Esther Diamond and Patrick Arthur, the landlord of the accused.

They all pleaded not guilty and would make their next court appearance on Tuesday, November 17.

Police Detective Inspector Joseph Kwadwo Agyare told the court presided over by Mr Eric Baah Boateng that, Catherine Joseph, 19, a Nigerian currently residing at Amakom, a suburb of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region is the complainant in the case.

He said two weeks ago, Amanda paid a visit to Nigeria and convinced the complainant that she had secured a job for her as a cleaner in Ghana.

The prosecution said the complainant agreed and when the two arrived in Ghana, Amanda told her she was going to work as a commercial sex worker.

According to Inspector Agyare, Amanda subsequently took the complainant to a riverside and made her swore an oath that she would not flee to Nigeria.

The Prosecution said the complainant who was not pleased with what she had been forced into managed to escape from Banaso community to Ashanti Region where narrated her ordeal to a private radio station based in Kumasi.

He said officials of the radio station later assisted her to lodge a formal complaint to the Ghana Police Service at Enchi where the accused were arrested in a wooden structure which they were using as a brothel.

Prosecution said in the course of the arrest, Anthony was found in Esther's room where four boxes containing 144 condoms and lubricants were retrieved.

He said Amanda and Emerald during interrogation said they rented the brothel from Patrick Arthur leading to his arrest.

He said after investigation, accused were charged with the offence.