2 university students busted for posting nude pictures

Two university students are currently in the grips of officials of the Cyber Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service for allegedly posting nude pictures of some junior high school students on the internet.

The suspects, identified as Desmond Appleton and Elvin Boakye Agyemang, allegedly lured the victims, aged 14 to 16 years to send them their nude pictures, including videos, after which they purportedly threatened to upload the pictures onto the internet if their demands were not met.

Police reports indicated that the suspects demanded more nude pictures and videos of their victims as well as mobile phone credits, and when some of the victims refused, they posted their nude pictures on the internet.

Teachers of the victims, who first saw the nude pictures on the internet, reported the matter to the parents who also made an official complaint to the Cyber Crime Unit, leading to the arrest of the varsity students.

Chief Superintendent Dr Gustav Herbert Yankson, Director in-charge of the Unit, confirmed the arrest to DAILY GUIDE and said on July 26, 2017, the Unit received a complaint from the victim’s parents that one Desmond Appleton had released nude pictures of their 14-year-old junior high school student on the internet.

Desmond Appleton was arrested the same day for investigation. During the investigation, it came to light that the victim (name withheld) lived with her parents at Laterbiokorshie in Accra.

During the month of January 2017, Elvin Boakye visited the school of the victim to sell T-shirts and they became friends and later communicated regularly on Telegram, a social media network.

In the course of their communication, Elvin Boakye convinced the victim to send him her nude videos and pictures, which she did.

Elvin Boakye, after receiving the videos, reportedly exchanged the nude pictures with Appleton.

During the month of April 2017, Desmond Appleton also commenced a chat with the victim on Telegram and purportedly asked her to send him more of her nude pictures and videos else he would leak the ones he had.

The victim, out of fear, obliged and sent them to Desmond Appleton. Desmond Appleton further demanded for more but the victim refused, ceased communication with him (Desmond Appleton) and uninstalled the application.