Thirty suspected commercial sex workers recently arrested by the police in a swoop at various areas in Tema have been granted bail by the District Magistrate Court.

Each accused person was granted bail in the sum of  GH￠5,000 with two sureties, one of which must be justified.

That brought the total bail sum to GH￠150,000.

The court, presided over by Siram Mahama, ordered the police to authenticate the identity of each of the accused persons with a valid National Identification Card before bail can be considered.

The 30 were among a total of 34 arrested by the police at different locations in the Tema metropolis and slapped with the charge of soliciting for immoral purposes.

Four of them pleaded guilty and were convicted on their own plea.

They are Sunshine Edmund, Queen Gbortor, Aisha Mohammed and Irene Jolo.

The court after hearing the plea for mitigation of the four and considering they were first time offenders, and appeared repentant in addition to showing remorse cautioned them to desist from such acts.

They were made to sign a bond to be of good behaviour for 12 months.

The 30, who pleaded not guilty to the charge of soliciting for immoral purposes will make their next appearance in court on March 15, 2023.

Prosecution

Police Chief Inspector Agnes Konadu told the court that following recent complaints by some concerned citizens about the activities of young women parading the streets of Tema at night soliciting to obtain clients for prostitution, the Tema Regional Police Command organised an intelligence led operation to bring some sanity into the metropolis.

She said the operation led to the arrest of the accused persons made up of Ghanaians, Liberians and Nigerians at a number of locations including the Subin Valley area in Community 7, Sabrina Hotel area at Site 17, Community One, as well as Vienna City and Datus School Complex areas both in Community 8.

Chief Inspector Konadu said investigations disclosed that the accused persons have been operating as prostitutes, whose modus operandi was to stand at street comers and make faces at men, smiled at them and make gestures with their mouths to obtain clients for prostitution.

According to her after the police investigations, the accused persons were charged with the offence and arraigned.