A Nigerian woman has been sentenced to seven years in prison by an Accra Circuit Court after the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) successfully prosecuted her for human trafficking and immigration offences in a case that led to the rescue of two victims, including a 13-year-old girl.
The convict, identified as Ada Peace, was found guilty following investigations by the GIS Anti-Human Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons (AHSTIP) Unit, supported by its Asankragwa Sector Command.
The operation, described as intelligence-led, resulted in the rescue of two young victims aged 21 and 13 who had been trafficked from Nigeria into Ghana under the guise of securing employment as shop attendants.
Court proceedings revealed that the victims were instead forced into commercial sex work upon arrival in Ghana, with their earnings allegedly taken by the convict.
Chief Superintendent of Immigration John Bernard Otoo, who presented the case, told the court that the victims were recruited through collaborators in Nigeria and transported into Ghana, where they were received at a brothel in Adaase near Asankragwa.
Investigations further established that the victims were subjected to coercion and psychological intimidation, including alleged spiritual threats, and were forced to engage in prostitution to offset an imposed debt of six million Nigerian Naira.
The GIS also disclosed that Ada Peace and an accomplice, Rejoice Opara, had entered Ghana through unapproved border routes in July 2024 and remained in the country without valid immigration documentation.
While Ada Peace was convicted on four counts, including human trafficking and illegal entry, the court fined and discharged her accomplice.
The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Samuel Basintale Amadu, condemned the exploitation of vulnerable persons, describing human trafficking and illegal migration as serious crimes that would continue to be aggressively investigated and prosecuted.
He urged the public to be cautious of deceptive recruitment schemes, warning that traffickers increasingly use social media platforms and fake job offers to lure victims across borders.
The GIS reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening border security and protecting vulnerable individuals from transnational criminal networks operating within the sub-region.
