Liberian child trafficker jailed

Two weeks after his arrest for child trafficking and offering the 11-year-old boy for sale, Alfred Collins, the 40-year-old Liberian was yesterday given a seven-year jail sentence by an Accra Circuit Court.

Collins who showed no remorse when he mounted the dock, was convicted on his own plea of guilty, and is to be repatriated to his native country, Liberia, after serving his jail term at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons.

The presiding judge, Ms. Sedina Agbemava was however told by the prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mary Agbozo, that efforts were being made by the Liberian Embassy in Accra to trace the parents of the boy, Francis Fa.

ASP Mary Agbozo told the court that Collins, who is a friend of the victim's parents, was a school dropout and a farmer living in Plebo, Maryland County; Liberia.

In February, this year, Collins was said to have discussed with his friend, Kingsley, a Nigerian resident in Liberia that he wanted to sell Francis and use the proceeds for business.

After the discussion, Kingsley was said to have told Collins that he had a friend in Ghana, known as chairman, who engaged in such business.

Last month, Collins arrived in Ghana with Francis to meet the said chairman to complete the deal.

Unknown to Collins that he was being a deceived; he was later directed again to the Arts Centre in Accra to meet a Nigerian where it is said that a misunderstanding ensued between them, and Collins left to the Buduburam camp to meet another Liberian friend.

ASP Agbozo said Collins again discussed the sale with his Liberian friend who also directed him to a Ghanaian whom he met to negotiate the sale of the boy.

The Ghanaian, he said, feigned interest in buying the boy and alerted the police.

During the negotiation, the Ghanaian informant was to pay $27,000 but he asked for reduction and Collins agreed to take $18,000.

On April 30, Collins and the informant met at the Ghana Commercial Bank for the payment to be effected and then the police arrested him.

He was later transferred to the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at the police head quarters in Accra.