[ 2012-05-16 ]

Liberian child trafficker jailed
Two weeks after his arrest for child trafficking
and offering the 11-year-old boy for sale, Alfred
Collins, the 40-year-old Liberian was yesterday
given a seven-year jail sentence by an Accra
Circuit Court.

Collins who showed no remorse when he mounted the
dock, was convicted on his own plea of guilty, and
is to be repatriated to his native country,
Liberia, after serving his jail term at the Nsawam
Medium Security Prisons.

The presiding judge, Ms. Sedina Agbemava was
however told by the prosecutor, Assistant
Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mary Agbozo, that
efforts were being made by the Liberian Embassy in
Accra to trace the parents of the boy, Francis Fa.


ASP Mary Agbozo told the court that Collins, who
is a friend of the victim's parents, was a school
dropout and a farmer living in Plebo, Maryland
County; Liberia.

In February, this year, Collins was said to have
discussed with his friend, Kingsley, a Nigerian
resident in Liberia that he wanted to sell Francis
and use the proceeds for business.

After the discussion, Kingsley was said to have
told Collins that he had a friend in Ghana, known
as chairman, who engaged in such business.

Last month, Collins arrived in Ghana with Francis
to meet the said chairman to complete the deal.

Unknown to Collins that he was being a deceived;
he was later directed again to the Arts Centre in
Accra to meet a Nigerian where it is said that a
misunderstanding ensued between them, and Collins
left to the Buduburam camp to meet another
Liberian friend.

ASP Agbozo said Collins again discussed the sale
with his Liberian friend who also directed him to
a Ghanaian whom he met to negotiate the sale of
the boy.
The Ghanaian, he said, feigned interest in buying
the boy and alerted the police.

During the negotiation, the Ghanaian informant was
to pay $27,000 but he asked for reduction and
Collins agreed to take $18,000.
On April 30, Collins and the informant met at the
Ghana Commercial Bank for the payment to be
effected and then the police arrested him.
He was later transferred to the Anti-Human
Trafficking Unit of the Criminal Investigations
Department (CID) at the police head quarters in
Accra.

Source - Ghanaian Times

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