Labour Minister Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah has outlined what he described as significant gains made by the Ministry of Labour in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice in the ongoing fight against trafficking in persons, noting that several suspects have been prosecuted and convicted over the past seven months.
Speaking over the weekend at his office in Congo Town, Minister Kruah described human trafficking as an “inhumane act” carried out against vulnerable individuals, stressing that it is a serious criminal offense that the law strongly condemns.
He disclosed that in one of the recent cases, five women were arrested at Red Light Market for allegedly attempting to traffic eleven children. According to him, the victims were intercepted by security personnel before they could be taken away. The suspects were subsequently prosecuted and sentenced to 20 years in prison by Criminal Court “A.”
Minister Kruah also referenced another case involving a woman identified as Madam Esther Asuquoi, who was arrested in Grand Gedeh County for allegedly trafficking three Nigerian girls. He explained that the suspect allegedly deceived the victims by promising them employment in a beauty salon, but instead transported them to a gold mine where they were forced into prostitution. He said she was arrested following intelligence-led operations and subsequently turned over to court for prosecution.
He further revealed that there is an ongoing case involving 22 alleged traffickers who were arrested after reportedly luring 57 victims under the pretext of offering them “greener pastures.” According to him, the victims were instead taken to Marshall in Margibi County, where they were allegedly subjected to exploitative conditions, including payment of over US$100,000 for document processing. The suspects are currently before the court for prosecution.
Minister Kruah warned that the government will continue to intensify its crackdown on human trafficking, stressing that no offender will be spared as the Ministry strengthens enforcement and collaboration with security agencies.
“Human trafficking is a crime we are determined to fight. We are leaving no stone unturned,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Labour Minister also called on foreign residents in Liberia to ensure full compliance with work permit regulations, announcing that the Ministry of Labour has launched a nationwide inspection exercise aimed at enforcing labor laws and ensuring proper documentation of foreign workers.
