The police in the Northern Region have arrested two persons for trafficking 12 victims ages between 9 and 20 years from Zabzugu enroute to Kumasi to engage in various forms of child labour.
The suspects; Kwaku Manu age 45 years and Nkabeye Joshua, 24 years who are both natives of Zabzugu, were arrested upon the vigilance of some good samaritans who saw the victims alight from a bus together with the suspects at a stopover in Tamale to take dinner before continuing their journey to Kumasi.
A police officer who was monitoring a confrontation between the civilians and suspects over the victims in front of Tamale Vodafone office, called for police intervention.
A team of investigators from the Regional C.I.D Tamale proceeded to the said location and arrested the two suspects.
They also rescued 12 victims namely, Yajome Koawan, male, 20 years; Vida Kubor, female, 15yrs; Tino Kafia, male, 15 years; Nimaya Tuwik, female, 10 years; Maklanga Malan, female, 12 years; Belinda Malan, female, 14 years; Happy Domoah, female, 14 years; Bekina Ninkple, female, 16 years; Comfort Tiba, female, 10 years; Vitoria Dokunora, female 9 years; Mbaba Nido, male, 16 years and Yaw Abena, female, 15 years.
Preliminary investigation disclosed that suspects recruited 11 children in Zabzugu and boarded a passenger bus with reg. No. AS 2430-15 to Kumasi enroute to remote villages in Western North Region to work on Cocoa Farms.
The bus made a stopover in Tamale at about 7:00pm for passengers to take their dinner.
Suspects alighted with the victims to buy food but were accosted by some good samaritans who were suspicious of their movement. This attracted police attention leading to the arrest.
The police said the suspects have been detained and victims rescued to Regional Police Guest House in Tamale for Shelter while efforts are being made to trace relatives of the victims’ relatives in Zabzugu to assist investigation.
