Nigerian trader jailed for human trafficking

The Accra Circuit Court on Monday sentenced
a Nigerian trader, Princess Thomas Dupe, to eight years' imprisonment in

hard labour for engaging in human trafficking.
Dupe, 38, is said to have recruited, transported and transferred

a 14 year-old female from the Republic of Togo to Accra en route to

Burkina Faso to put her into domestic servitude.
Dupe pleaded not guilty to the charge but after a three-month trial

she was found guilty and convicted by the court, presided over by Mrs

Elizabeth Ankomah.
The prosecution said in July, 2008, Dupe who was staying in the same

area with the victim, transported her to Accra, en route to Burkina Faso

without the knowledge of the victim's parents.
The prosecution said on reaching the STC yard at Kaneshie, Dupe ran

out of money and decided to give the victim to anyone who was interested

in her to work for a fee.
The prosecutor said Dupe had information that the complainant, Ms

Florence Nkansah, a Customer Service Assistant at State Transport Corporation (STC) Kaneshie, needed a maid.

She therefore approached Ms Nkansah and introduced the victim as her sister.

According to the prosecution, Dupe informed the complainant that she needed money to enable her to travel with the victim to Burkina Faso. She therefore wanted the victim to work with the complainant for a fee of GH¢15.00 cedis a month while she went back to Togo for extra money.

The prosecution said the complainant accepted the offer but as soon as Dupe left, the victim disclosed to her that she was not related to Dupe. She claimed that a spell was cast on her she was brought to Accra without her parents' knowledge.

Dupe returned to Accra on September 17, 2008 and came to take the victim and her fee of GH¢30.00 cedis to continue the journey to Burkina Faso.

The complainant, however, alerted the Police and Dupe was arrested.

GNA