Two traders in court for human trafficking

Two traders who have been accused of facilitating the trafficking of a lady to Kuwait for a job on Wednesday appeared before a circuit court in Accra. Charged with conspiracy to commit crime and human trafficking, Nana Yaw Kwakye and Johnson Kissi, have pleaded not guilty.

The court, presided over by Ms Sedina Agbemava, admitted the two accused persons to bail in the sum of 5,000 Ghana cedis with two sureties each. They are to reappear on August 7. Prosecuting, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) A. A. Annor, said Mr Isaac Kyeremanteng, the complainant, was a driver and a native of Akyim Tumfa.

According to DSP Annor, Kwakye and Kissi reside at Pokuase and Taifa respectively. In January this year, the accused persons who had no document to recruit people from Ghana to abroad convinced the complainant to give them 3,500 Ghana cedis under the pretext of offering her sister, Grace Oforiwaa, a job in Kuwait.

Prosecution said after collecting the money, the accused persons managed to send Grace to Kuwait. On her arrival, Grace was given to a man who engaged her as a building construction labourer where she worked for 19 hours daily. Due to that, Grace fell sick and informed the complainant about her ordeal. The complainant approached the accused persons to bring the victim back.

The accused persons, therefore, demanded another 1,850 Ghana cedis to procure the victim’s passport which had been seized by her master in Kuwait. Prosecution said the complainant alerted the police and on June 6, this year, and he (complainant) in the company of policemen arrested Kissi at CMB area in Accra when he (complainant) was handing over the 1,850 cedis to him.

Kwakye on hearing that, followed up at the Police Headquarters and Kissi identified him as his accomplice and Kwakye was picked up.