Unemployed Nigerian jailed five years for human trafficking

Kate Igugu Agbarha-Oto, an unemployed Nigerian, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court on two counts of attempt to commit crime to wit human trafficking.

Kate is said to have lured two victims to Ghana to work in a restaurant. When the two victims arrived in Ghana, Kate compelled them to engage in prostitution.

When the charges were read out to her, the mother of five pleaded guilty. Even when a lawyer who acted as a friend to the court explained things to her, she still pleaded guilty.

The Court presided over by Mrs Christina Cann convicted Kate aged 35 on her own plea and sentenced her to five years imprisonment.

Soon after the court sentenced her, Kate broke down in tears saying she has five kids and she had no husband.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire, said the two victims, Blessing Obuketa and Joy Atakerameri aged 41 and 30 are Nigerians.

Chief Inspector Atimbire said Kate resided at Kotobabi Number two, Baatsona.

Prosecution said about two weeks ago Kate contacted a friend in Nigeria who recruited the victim under the pretence that they were going to work in a restaurant in Ghana.

Based on that, Prosecution said Kate sent GHS2,000 to the victims to pay for their transportation and other expenses to Ghana without regard to the COVID-19 restrictions order imposed by the President.

Police Chief Inspector Atimbure said the victims arrived in Ghana on March 25, this year, and Kate received them after providing them with accommodation at Kotobabi number two.

Prosecution said Kate offered the victims condoms and coerced them to practice commercial sex work. The victims however turned down Kate’s request and reported the matter to the Police at Baatsona on March 29, this year.

The Prosecutor said Kate was arrested and during investigations, 47 pieces of condoms that Kate supplied to the victims were retrieved in the victim’s room.

Kate in her caution statement admitted the offence.