A 36-year-old Nigerian woman has been sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment in hard labour after being convicted of trafficking two women into prostitution in Ghana.
Gift Chinyere Aminu, also known as Joy, was found guilty by the Accra Circuit Court Four of human trafficking and prostitution after denying the charges during trial.
The court, presided over by Madam Lawrencia Awura Abena Darkowaa Gyamfi, also ordered Aminu to compensate the two victims.
According to the prosecution, Aminu was part of a network that brought the victims from Togo to Ghana and forced them into commercial sex work.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Issah Achiburi told the court that the complainant, ThankGod Iheme, is a Nigerian resident in Accra.
He said Aminu, who is also Nigerian, lived at Kwame Nkrumah Circle Railways with two other women, Jennifer and Blessing, who are currently at large.
The court heard that one of the victims, Jennifer Izi, also known as Lovina, contacted Iheme and disclosed that a Nigerian woman had brought her and another victim, Aissah Mohammed, also known as Gold, from Togo to Ghana and forced them into prostitution.
Izi further alleged that the victims were subjected to severe beatings whenever they failed to engage in prostitution.
Following the report, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters received the original case docket from the Kaneshie Police Station on October 31, 2025, through the Director-General of CID.
Aminu was subsequently re-arrested and, during interrogation, admitted knowing both victims.
Prosecution said Aminu told investigators that she previously lived and worked in Rafineri, a suburb of Lome, Togo, where she engaged in prostitution.
She reportedly admitted that while in Togo, she received Izi and Mohammed from Jennifer and Blessing for the purpose of engaging them in prostitution, managing them and collecting their proceeds for onward transmission to the two women.
The court further heard that Aminu took the victims to a shrine after receiving them and made them swear an oath that they would run mad if they escaped with her money.
According to ASP Achiburi, a police-led operation in Togo later forced Aminu to relocate to Ghana with the victims, but she allegedly continued forcing them into prostitution at Kwame Nkrumah Circle.
The prosecution said the ordeal continued after the victims arrived in Ghana, with Izi discovering that she was pregnant and informing Aminu.
Aminu allegedly gave Izi medication intended to induce an abortion after learning of the pregnancy.
Investigations also established that Aminu collected 300,000 Nigerian naira from Mohammed and another 250,000 naira from Izi.
After investigations were completed, Aminu was charged with human trafficking and prostitution and brought before the court.
The court, after finding her guilty, sentenced her to seven years in hard labour and ordered her to compensate the victims.
