Court grants bail to alleged human traffickers

Aflao, Dec. 04, GNA - Two accused persons arrested at Aflao border for allegedly trafficking four girls to Nigeria were last Tuesday granted 100 million cedis bail with a surety to be justified by an Aflao Circuit Court.

Zinabu Abubakar 40, a Ghanaian trader based in Nigeria and Salifu Dauda 37, a porter in Accra pleaded not guilty and would re-appear on Tuesday, December 5.

The victims Lakaliatu 20, Safura Issah 20, Belkisu Mohammed 19 and a 14 year-old girl all from Walewale in the Northern Region but resident in Accra as porters are in the custody of the Aflao Police. Police Inspector Mary Assan, prosecuting told the court presided over by Group Captain Martin Obeng-Ntim (Rtd) that on November 20, this year, Abubakar arrived in Ghana from Nigeria and contacted Dauda to assist her recruit some girls to Nigeria as assistants in her business. She said Dauda approached the victims that Abubakar want to recruit them to Aflao to assist her to sell porridge and they agreed. Police Inspector Assan said the following day, November 21, Abubakar handed over the victims to a driver of a Nigerian bound bus in Accra to be sent to Lagos, where her sister would receive them and pay for their fares while she followed later.

She said one of the victims refused to continue the journey when undergoing departure formalities at the Aflao border which aroused the suspicion of Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) personnel who rescued the victims and arrested the driver.

The prosecution said Abubakar and Dauda were arrested and detained when they rushed to Aflao from Accra after the driver, whose name had been withheld telephoned them about his arrest.