Two Nigerian nationals have each been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment in hard labour by the Ashaiman District Court for cyber fraud and illegal entry. 

John Moore and Charles Bruce pleaded guilty to engaging in prohibited cybercrime activities, popularly known as “Yahoo Yahoo”, and entering Ghana unlawfully through an unauthorised border crossing at Aflao. 

The presiding Judge, Mr Derick Parden Eshun, convicted and sentenced the accused on their own pleas.  

The sentence, covering both offences, is to run concurrently. 

The prosecutor, Inspector Jerry Foster Segbefia, an Immigration Officer, urged the Court to impose custodial sentences without the option of a fine, stressing the need to safeguard Ghana’s Internet Protocol Address System from abuse.  

He warned that Ghana would pay dearly if authorities, including the Court, failed to act on the matter.  

Giving the facts, Inspector Segbefia said the convicts were arrested at Afienya Junction by the Ashaiman Immigration Command during an intelligence-led operation.  

They were found to have trafficked two Nigerian victims, Joseph Atungwa and Cletus Tom Emmanuel, coercing them into cybercrime. 

The victims, who had sustained bodily injuries, were rescued, treated, and subsequently repatriated to Nigeria.  

Investigations revealed Moore received the victims from his kingpins to train them in online scams, including romance fraud. 

According to the prosecution, the victims were subjected to beatings, starvation, and confinement for failing to generate online proceeds.  

Atungwa eventually escaped and alerted authorities, leading to their rescue. 

Following investigations, the accused were formally charged and arraigned.