Two jailed for child trafficking

Dambai Magistrate Court in the Brong Ahafo Region has sentenced a 39-year-old farmer, Lydia Dotse, and Mawuli Nyajor, 30, a fisherman, to 12 months in prison for child trafficking.

Both pleaded guilty on two counts of conspiracy to commit crime contrary to section 23 (1) of the Criminal Offence Act 29/60, and Human Trafficking Act 2005 (Act 694) as amended by the Human Trafficking Act 2009 (284).

Prosecuting, Inspector Robert Dokponu, told the court that on October 11, 2017 John Nutakor, who is the Assembly member for Gyane-krom Electoral Area, brought an eight-year-old victim, Gameli Adukpo, to the Kete-Krachi Police Station and reported that he spotted the victim around his vicinity and upon interrogation, revealed that he was given to one Mawuli Nyajor (the accused person) by his mother Lydia Dotse to assist him in his fishing expedition for a monthly fee of GH¢100.00.

The prosecutor said the victim told the Assemblyman that he had escaped from his ‘master’ because he was being maltreated. The Assemblyman later took him to Kete-Krachie police station.

Receiving the victim, the police took him to Village of Life Orphanage which belongs to Partners Community Development (PACODEP) at Kete-Krachi.

Lydia Dotse and Mawuli Nyajor were later arrested and detained by the police.

According to the prosecutor, Mawuli admitted the offence in his caution statement and explained that the victim was given to him by his mother to assist him in his fishing expedition and had been paying GH¢100.00 every month to her.

Lydia Dotse admitted she gave the victim to Mawuli to assist him in his business and had been receiving GH¢100.00 from Mawuli every month and after three years he would pay GH¢300.00 as compensation.

The court found Madam Dotse guilty and was sentenced to 12 months in prison.

She is to serve her jail term at Ho Municipal Female Prisons while her accomplice, Mawuli, will serve a 12-month jail term at Kpando Prisons.

The Project Coordinator of PACODEP, George Achibrah Jnr., in an interview after the sentence, told journalists that the judgment would serve as a deterrent to others who are into child trafficking.