Church members in court for human trafficking
Seven leading members including two women of the Maranatha Adventist Prayer Camp in the Ahafo Ano District on Wednesday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for engaging in human trafficking.
They are alleged to have trafficked 18 people, including children and women in the name of religion to a forest zone and subjected them to inhumane deeds.
They are John Agbo, a.k.a Paul Christ, 36, Veronica Agbo a.k.a. Ellen Christ aged ,30, Alvous Bluvi a.k.a. Abraham Christ, 24, Sampson Toto a.k.a. Aaron Christ ,36, Kubode Raynold a.k.a. John the Revelator Christ, 24.
The rest are Innocent Ananu a.k.a. Isaac Christ, 27, and Mary Ahiatu a.k.a. Deborah Christ 42.
They are charged with conspiracy to commit crime, to wit human trafficking. They all pleaded not guilty.
The court presided over by Ms Sedina Agbemava admitted them to bail in the sum of GH₵ 7,000.00 each with a surety each.
The accused persons, all farmers, who appeared without counsels are to reappear on May 14.
Prosecuting Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mary Agbozo told the court that the accused person’s prayer camp is located at Mantukwa near Opokukrom in the Ahafo Ano District.
DSP Agbozo said in the early part of the year (2013) the police received intelligence that the accused persons who were former members of the Saturday Adventist Church at Aflao claimed that they had a revelation that they should desert “earthly things and move to a forest zone since Jesus Christ was coming soon”.
Prosecution said the accused persons under such representation succeeded in recruiting 18 victims including children and women and transported them from Aflao to Bibiani and subsequently to Mantukwa, a farming community in Ahafo Ano District of the Brong Ahafo region.
The accused persons, prosecution said, denied the children and the other victims’ basic necessities of life and healthcare.
“Those who violated their orders were subjected to inhumane treatment such beatings and forced labour,” the Prosecutor said.
According to DSP Agbozo, victims were also compelled to marry each other and in the process, a 13 year old girl was forced to marry a 27 year old man in the name of Christ.
Prosecution said investigations were ongoing and the women among them were being housed in a shelter.
Source: GNA