A Ghanaian court has sentenced two Nigerian men to 20 years in prison each for trafficking fellow Nigerians into Ghana and forcing them to engage in cybercrime.

The convicts, 29-year-old Kingsley Ndifon and 25-year-old Emmanuel Akong, were found guilty of human trafficking and causing harm by Circuit Court ‘B’ in Tema after a full trial.

According to the Ghana Police Service, the two men recruited Nigerians with promises of employment in Ghana but allegedly held them captive upon arrival and forced them to participate in internet fraud.

The suspects were arrested on August 20, 2023, at Sebrepor, a suburb of Tema, following a distress call reporting that several people were being held against their will.

Police officers, assisted by residents, raided the house and rescued 11 Nigerian nationals. Sixteen laptops and an iPad were also recovered from the premises.

Investigations revealed that the victims had their phones and identity cards confiscated and were forced to use the laptops to commit cyber-related crimes.

The victims were reportedly fed only once a day and subjected to severe physical abuse when they failed to follow instructions. Police said some were beaten with laptop cables and machetes, leaving them with injuries, including cutlass wounds.

The victims were also found to be malnourished and in poor health when they were rescued.

The two men were subsequently charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, human trafficking and causing harm.

Following the trial, the court convicted them of human trafficking and causing harm. Each received a 20-year sentence for human trafficking and an additional 10 years for causing harm, with the sentences ordered to run concurrently.

This means both men will serve a total of 20 years in prison.

The Tema Regional Police Command reaffirmed its commitment to tackling human trafficking, cybercrime and other forms of abuse, while urging members of the public to promptly report suspected cases to the police.