Key points
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Bright charged with trafficking five Nigerians for romance scam.
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Victims rescued and placed in a safe location by police.
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Court granted GH¢100,000 bail with strict reporting rules.
A 30-year-old Nigerian businessman, Obasuyi Efosa Bright, is standing trial in Accra after police said he trafficked five young Nigerians into Ghana.
The victims, aged 19 to 25, were told they would get good jobs. Instead, police said Bright forced them into a romance scam. He pleaded not guilty in court to five counts of human trafficking.
Police raided a house in Tema Community 25 after a tip-off. Inside, they found six laptops linked to an app called “BAND,” which investigators believe was used to trick people online.
Court sets bail with strict conditions
The Accra Circuit Court granted Bright bail of GH¢100,000 with two sureties. He must also report to the police twice every month while the case is ongoing.
The court also ordered prosecutors to hand over case files to Bright’s lawyers. Police seized the laptops during the raid, and they will be examined by the Forensic Laboratory.
According to investigators, Bright was the leader of the group and controlled the five victims. The young Nigerians are now in safe custody while the investigation continues.
Human trafficking linked to cybercrime
Officials say the case shows how human trafficking is tied to cybercrime in Ghana. Traffickers lure victims with fake job offers and later push them into scams, including online romance fraud.
The Cybercrime Unit and the Cyber Security Authority said they will step up monitoring to curb similar cases. They stressed that breaking these networks is key to fighting internet fraud.
