2 Nigerian Women Forced Into Prostitution

By Stephen Kwabena Effah

Friday, 24 April 2009

Four Nigerians who allegedly trafficked two female compatriots into Ghana, subjected them to inhumane treatment and forced them into prostitution, were yesterday put before an Accra Circuit Court.

The four were alleged to have slashed the private parts of the women and blotted the blood with cotton wood.

Thereafter, they blindfolded and took them to a fetish priest for rituals to ensure that they submit the proceeds from their prostitution to the accused persons, and also that they would not return to Nigeria.

The accused, Joseph Anayo Eze, Miriam William, Ijeioma Inyama and Amadi Stephanie, are charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit crime and human trafficking and have been remanded to police custody to enable them to secure a lawyer.

Although their charges were read to them, their plea was not taken.

They told the court presided over by Mr. C.A Wilson that they needed time to secure a lawyer.

The case was therefore adjourned to May 7.

Before then, Ms. Wilson said if by the next adjourned date, they had not been able to secure a lawyer, she would get in touch with the Legal Aid Board to assist them.

Both victims (name withheld aged 20 years were alleged to have been brought into the country by Eze under the pretext of sending them to Europe. But in Ghana, he handed them to William for a fee of GH¢1,000 to, introduced into prostitution.

Prosecuting, ASP Mary Agbozo told the court that Eze, who was a family friend to the victims, brought them to Ghana under the pretext of sending them to Europe but when they arrived in Accra, he handed them to William on arrival in Accra.

According to her, Eze was assisted by Inyama and Stephanie to forcibly cut the thumbs of the victims gave them the blood to drink after which they stripped them naked and shaved their pubic hair.

They then used sharp blades to make incisions on the vagina, of the victims and blotted the blood that oozed out with cotton wool.

ASP Agbozo said the victims were then blindfolded by the three accused persons and taken to a fetish priest, where they were made to swear that they would return proceeds from their prostitution business to the accused persons and would also not return to Nigeria.

They also swore not to disclose the ordeal to anyone.

ASP Agbozo said on April 18, when the victims were sent out for prostitution, they went to tell a pastor about their ordeal and the pastor in turn reported the matter to the police who arrested the accused.