A 22-year-old Nigerian hairdresser, Nicky Isabella—popularly known as “Bella”—has been sentenced to five years in prison by the Achimota Circuit Court in Ghana for human trafficking and exploitation.

The court, presided over by Her Honour Mrs. Akosua Anokyewaa Adjepong, delivered the verdict on Friday, April 4, 2025, after a comprehensive trial. Isabella was found guilty on two counts of human trafficking and one count of conspiracy to commit a crime.

According to court documents, Isabella lured two young Nigerian women, aged 22 and 23, to Ghana under the false pretense of offering them jobs in a supermarket located in Adjiringanor, Accra. However, upon their arrival, she forced them into prostitution.

Prosecutors detailed that Isabella confiscated the victims’ earnings and subjected them to a disturbing oath-taking ritual, which involved swearing on a Bible and cutting off pieces of their pubic hair—used as a threat to ensure compliance.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Isaac Babayi, who led the prosecution, revealed that Isabella acted in collaboration with an accomplice identified only as “Nelly,” who remains at large. The trafficking occurred in May 2024.

ASP Babayi urged the court to hand down a stiff sentence, citing the calculated and exploitative nature of Isabella’s actions as a threat to public safety.

In her ruling, the judge acknowledged Isabella’s young age, her status as a first-time offender, and the time she had already spent in custody. However, she emphasized the seriousness of the offense and Isabella’s apparent lack of remorse. Isabella, who had no legal representation during the trial, broke down in tears as the sentence was read.

The Ghana Police Service’s Anti-Human Trafficking Unit has since launched an investigation to apprehend Nelly.

The two victims have been rescued and are currently receiving psychosocial support to aid their recovery.

Speaking on the case, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) William Ayariga, Director of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to combating human trafficking.

“Ghana is not a safe haven for human traffickers. Anyone who lures vulnerable individuals into the country for exploitation will face the full force of the law,” DSP Ayariga stated.

He also noted that the Unit recorded nine human trafficking convictions last year, including one involving a 20-year sentence. He vowed continued efforts in the fight against human trafficking and migrant smuggling.

“We will not relent. Arrests, investigations, and prosecutions will continue. Human trafficking has no place in Ghana. Justice will prevail,” he added.

Further investigations revealed that Isabella admitted to forcing the women into prostitution and keeping all the proceeds. A search of her residence uncovered a notebook used to track the victims’ earnings and strands of human hair, believed to have been used for coercion