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Judge commends police, social welfare, others for fight against human trafficking
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The Supervising High Court Judge in the Volta Region, Mr Eric Baah, has commended the Ghana Police Service, Department of Social Welfare and the International Justice Mission for their valiant roles in the pursuit, arrest and subsequent conviction a fortnight ago of the Volta Lake couple known for their notoriety in human trafficking.
He also praised the counsel for the republic, Mr Andrews Adugu and the Attorney General’s Department for the hard work and diligence which resulted in the successful prosection and caging of the duo.
Fishmonger, Aku Kedevi, 40, and her fisherman boy friend, Michael Boti, 63, earned extra money from trafficking children from one location to another, subjecting them to brutish servitude in the fishing business.
They were found guilty of trafficking nine children, including one Nigerian from their homes between 2015 and 2017 to locations far away, where they exploited the children in mid-waters on the Volta Lake and outside the lake as well, to enrich themselves.
The Spectator last Saturday carried the full story of their trial at a Ho High Court.
The court sentenced Kedevi and Boti to 10 years and eight years imprisonment in hard labour respectively for human trafficking.
For conspiracy to commit human trafficking, Kedevi and Boti were sentenced to five years imprisonment each, while Boti was slammed with an additional seven-year jail term for the use of trafficked persons.
The sentences are to run concurrently.
Giving judgement, Mr Justice Baah, presiding, said that the victims suffered pain and trauma in their formative years when they had the least capacity to cope.
“Their parents deserted them. Society cannot fail them. If their lives are not put back on, it is the society that will suffer their future vengeance. They need care and support,” the court added.
The court ordered the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and Department of Social Welfare to make the necessary arrangements for the victims’ custody, their welfare and education or training.
Meanwhile, the court described Kedevi as a disgrace to womanhood, saying that as a matured woman she was expected to show compassion to children and work to secure their security but she did the opposite.
The court branded Boti, a chief, as a failed leader of his community.
“As a chief, he was expected to trumpet the campaign against human trafficking and child slavery.
“Instead, he gleefully subjected other people’s children to bondage and servitude, as he sought the best of education for his own children,” the court said.
From Alberto Mario Noretti, Ho
Parliament has clarified public commentary on social media regarding a notice on its notice board that read “No Vacancy for National Service Personnel 2026/2027. Kindly go for reposting.”
In a statement, signed by the Director of Media Relations, David Sebastian Damoah, Parliament said the notice has been misconstrued and was not a policy statement, a freeze on national service placements, or a change in its support for the National Service Scheme.
According to Parliament, the notice was a routine administrative message to prospective personnel who reported to the House, informing them that it has received more personnel than it can accommodate for the 2026/2027 service year and that they should seek reposting to other institutions.
It said it remains committed to the National Service Scheme and values the contribution of service personnel to its work, and regrets any confusion or inconvenience the wording may have caused.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Ghanaian public advocate Hopeson Yaovi Adorye has been elected to the Board of Directors of the World Taxpayers Association (WTA).
The election took place on Sunday, October 5, 2026, during the Association’s conference in Kraków, Poland.
His election marks a significant addition to his international leadership portfolio and provides a platform for Ghanaian and African perspectives to contribute to global discussions on taxpayer rights, responsible taxation, transparency and prudent management of public resources.
Reacting to his election, Mr. Adorye expressed appreciation to the leadership and members of the WTA for the confidence reposed in him.
“I am deeply honoured by this confidence and conscious of the responsibility that comes with it. Taxpayers are at the heart of every economy, and they deserve fairness, transparency, accountability and value for the taxes they pay. I look forward to working with colleagues from across the world to strengthen the voice of taxpayers and promote responsible fiscal governance,” he said.
According to him, taxation should not be viewed solely as a mechanism for raising government revenue, but also as an important component of the social contract between citizens and the state.
Mr. Adorye said governments have a responsibility to ensure taxes are collected fairly and public resources are utilised efficiently to deliver quality infrastructure, healthcare, education, security and other essential services.
His election also creates an opportunity to bring African experiences into international conversations on taxation and public expenditure.
Mr. Adorye, who is Executive Director of Taxpayers League Ghana, has previously served as Global Board Chairman of the International Youth Network for UN Security Council Resolution 2250, an NGO associated with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
He is expected to use his new role to champion fiscal accountability, taxpayer education, good governance and stronger citizen participation in public financial management.
