The Gender-Based Violence Court in Tamale has sentenced a 24-year-old Nigerian woman, Mariam Yussif, to seven years’ imprisonment with hard labour for human trafficking.

The Northern Regional Police Command said Yussif and her 22-year-old sister, Precious Clement, were arrested in Yendi on August 17, 2026, over allegations that they recruited and transported victims from Nigeria to Ghana for sexual exploitation.

Yussif was subsequently charged with human trafficking under Section 2(1) of the Human Trafficking Act, 2005 (Act 694), and brought before the court on August 19. She pleaded not guilty and was remanded into prison custody.

After several adjournments, she appeared before the court again on October 22, 2026, and the Police said she was convicted at the end of the trial.

She has been transferred to Tamale Central Prison to serve her seven-year sentence.

Her sister, Clement, was released after investigators established no case against her, the Police said.

The two victims at the centre of the case have since been repatriated to Nigeria, where they were reunited with their respective families.

In a statement, the Northern Regional Police Command emphasised that the conviction demonstrated the importance of intelligence-led policing, comprehensive investigations and effective prosecution in the fight against human trafficking.

The Command reiterated its resolve to combat trafficking and called on the public to report suspected cases to the relevant authorities.

It said public cooperation remains important in identifying trafficking activities, protecting vulnerable individuals and ensuring that those responsible are brought before the law.