Four Nigerians weep uncontrollably as court orders their repatriation

Drama unfolded at the Enchi District Magistrate Court when four Nigerians wept uncontrollably after the court ordered the Police to hand them over to the Ghana Immigration Service for their repatriation from Ghana.

The convicts; Amanda Johnson, 27, Emerald Percious 23, Angel Ainu, 24, Jennifer Emeka, 32 and Patrick Arthur, were also sentenced to a fine of GH¢600.00 each or in default serve nine months imprisonment each.

Their accomplice, Esther Diamond, 27 and Anthony Kofi Lucky, 32, who refused to show up in court after they were granted bail got convicted to jail in absentia.

The court has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the two.

All the convicts were earlier charged for keeping a brothel but they pleaded not guilty.

However, the court presided over by Mr Eric Baah Boateng at the end of the trial found them guilty and convicted all accordingly.

Prosecuting, Detective Inspector Joseph Kwadwo Agyare told the court that, Amanda, Emerald, Angel, Jennifer and Esther are all Nigerians and residents at Abokyia in the Aowin Municipality in the Western North Region.

He said Anthony is the husband of Esther while Arthur is the landlord of the convicts.

According to Detective Agyare, the complainant, Catherine Joseph, is a 19-year-old Nigerian and currently resides at Amakom, a suburb of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.

The prosecution 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.

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

Inspector Agyare informed the court that Amanda subsequently took the complainant to a riverside and made her swear 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 the Banaso community to Ashanti Region where she 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 with the Ghana Police Service at Enchi where Amanda was arrested in a wooden structure which they were using as a brothel.

The 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 interrogations said they rented the brothel from Arthur, leading to his arrest.