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Wooden penis a gift from carpenter - Accused

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 Source: GNA

Accra, March 26, GNA - James Xu Jin, the man who is alleged to have trafficked 10 Chinese girls to engage in sex trade in Ghana, on Thursday told the Accra Circuit Court that the wooden penis found in his room during the Police search was a gift from a carpenter. He said the condoms, sexual medication and vagina lubricants also found in his room were what he and the wife used because of the one child policy of the State of China.

These answers from the accused drew laughter from the courtroom as DSP Mary Agbozo, the Prosecutor, brought out pictures and other items taken by the Police when they searched the place to support her cross-examination.

Xu Jin, 41, who is believed to be the ring leader and restaurant operator, Sham Shan Ying, a housewife and Chou Xiu Ying, a night club operator are facing charges of conspiracy and human trafficking. They have pleaded not guilty and have been remanded into police custody.

Xu Jin also denied charges from the prosecution that he deceived the victims by telling them that he owned a restaurant in Ghana, saying "I did not deceive".

He said with the exception Tin Tin, who came with his wife, the rest of the girls came on their own to Ghana to seek job opportunities. He said he had insisted on sending the girls back to china but they were unwilling to go back.

Xu Jin also denied accusations from the prosecution that he brought the victims to Ghana and forced them into prostitution and was collecting money from the clients. He said whenever the victims came to Ghana it was his wife who went to pick them at the Airport.

The accused said since 2007 he had been travelling once a year to China for medical treatment but he not to bring in Chinese girls for prostitution as claimed by the prosecution. He further denied statements by the prosecution that the house at La-Agyemang in Accra was being used for prostitution and not as the James Garden Restaurant.

He said the lanterns and the decorations were Chinese style and that the hall, corridor and the backyard were where the restaurant operated from.

However, DSP Agbozo rejected the claims of the accused and insisted that there was nothing in the hall and the compound of the house to indicate that the accused ran a restaurant. On February 14 this year, a group of police officers from the Criminal Investigations Department led other police personnel to the house of the three accused persons at Agyemang, La, in Accra. The police rescued seven of the victims, adding that the whereabouts of three of the victims were unknown.

A search conducted in the house revealed condoms, contraceptives, wooden carved penises and other medications and various sums of money, some of which belonged to the victims. The police further retrieved a Toyota saloon car with Registration number GE 9314 W believed to have been used in transporting the victims for the sex trade.

The vehicle, according to the prosecution, had been impounded and towed to the police headquarters. One of the victims, Tin Tin, said they were paid 150 dollars on their return from the various sexual activities.

Source: GNA