A 30-year-old Nigerian businessman, Obasuyi Efosa Bright, has been arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly trafficking five young people into Ghana under the guise of offering them employment.

Bright, who faces five counts of prohibition of trafficking, pleaded not guilty.

The victims, aged between 19 and 25, were reportedly lured with promises of decent jobs but were later forced into participating in an online “romance scam.”

The court granted him bail of GH₵100,000 with two sureties and directed that he reports to the police twice a month. Prosecutors were also instructed to file disclosures and serve copies on the defence team.

According to the prosecution, on August 21, 2025, the police received intelligence that several Nigerian nationals had been camped at Adom Estates, Tema Community 25, and were engaged in cybercrime.

A joint team from the Cybercrime Unit of the CID and the Cyber Security Authority raided the residence and found Bright together with five other Nigerians.

Six laptop computers connected to the internet and allegedly running a Korean web application called “BAND” were seized. Investigators suspect the software was being used to defraud unsuspecting victims abroad.

Preliminary findings suggest Bright masterminded the operation, having trafficked the five others into Ghana under false pretenses and then compelling them to join his cyber fraud network.

The accused was taken into custody while the laptops were sent to the Forensic Laboratory for detailed examination. The rescued victims, authorities confirmed, have been placed in a safe shelter as investigations continue.

GNA