Two remanded over attempt to sell a 20-year-old Beninois

Two persons who allegedly lured a 20-year old Beninois to Ghana to be sold at a cost of $160,000 to a Police Officer have appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.

Ibrahim Keita a 33-year old unemployed and Baba Issah a barber and a driver have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime and human trafficking.

The court presided over by Mrs. Christiana Cann did not take their plea and remanded them into Police custody to reappear on July 16.

The case of Prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Simon Apoirsonu was that, Keita is a Malian residing at Agona Nyarkrom in the Central Region while Issah also resides at Agona Nyarkrom.

Prosecution said in the month of April this year, the Swedru Police Divisional Criminal Investigations Department (CID) had intelligence that the accused had the intention of selling a young man at a price and were looking for a prospective buyers.

Prosecution said a Police officer feigned interest and began engaging the two accused over the phone.

According to prosecution, the accused initially agreed to sell the victim at a cost of $150,000 but they later decided to sell the victim at a cost $160,000 due to their alleged depreciation of the cedi.

The prosecution said Keita after settling on the amount lured the victim from Benin to Swedru by sending him money for transport so the victim arrived in Ghana on June 26 this year and called Keita.

He said Keita then asked the victim to wait at a lorry station.

The Prosecution said the two accused agreed to meet the buyer to receive the agreed amount in exchange of the victim.

He said in the process the accused were arrested and the purported buyer introduced himself as a policeman and the victim rescued.

Prosecution said later the matter was referred to the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit at the CID headquarters on an extract to continue with investigations.

He said the victim has been given shelter and investigations are ongoing.