The Western Regional Command of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), working in conjunction with its Axim Sector Command, has apprehended 31 individuals on suspicion of being involved in prostitution and human trafficking in the vicinity of a notorious brothel named Bafana Bafana Resort, situated in the Ellembelle District and Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region.
According to the GIS statement, this two-day intelligence-driven operation commenced with a raid on the aforementioned brothel and nearby drinking establishments and makeshift structures within the Essiama area, leading to the detention of individuals aged between 22 and 37 years.
The operation, which spanned several hours, resulted in the apprehension of 17 individuals, including the proprietor and manager of the establishment, a 62-year-old man named Mr. Kofi Bekoe.
Furthermore, 12 more individuals, along with two suspected accomplices involved in human trafficking, were taken into custody during subsequent mop-up operations conducted on Saturday evening and in the early hours of Sunday.
“In all, the over thirty hours (30hrs) of sustained operation saw to the arrest of twenty-eight (28) suspected prostitutes, including two (2) nursing mothers.
“The other suspects were the two (2) suspected Traffickers, Mr Ndubueze Okereke, 37yrs and his wife, Ifeoma Okereke, 35yrs, all Nigerians with the exception of Mr Kofo Bekoe, who is a Ghanaian and the host of a suspected Trafficking syndicate.”
“This particular operation was planned and successfully carried out with the support from the authorities of the above-mentioned assemblies, owing to the growing concerns of the nefarious activities, especially by some of the foreign nationals within the said communities, and the impunity with which the brothel operated,” the GIS stated.
According to the statement, investigations revealed that all the suspects had entered the country without the requisite passports or any other travel identification documents. Additionally, searches conducted on their persons and the premises uncovered packets of both used and unused condoms, particularly within the rooms.
Furthermore, the GIS noted that in a related development, Mr. Bekoe had previously been arrested several months ago and was granted bail to facilitate ongoing investigations related to harboring foreign nationals engaged in prostitution. This action is in violation of Act 29 of the Criminal Code of 1960, Aliens’ Registration Regulation 1974 (L.I. 856), Section 13 of the Immigration Service Act 2000 (ACT 573), and other relevant legislations in Ghana.
Currently, the suspects are in the custody of the Western Regional Command Headquarters for further investigations, legal proceedings, and subsequent repatriation to their home country.
“The Service is by this statement averting the minds of Landlords and property owners across the country to be mindful of the existence of the above-stated laws and their consequences by checking and confirming the immigration status of all would-be foreign tenants before renting out their properties to them,” the GIS added.