The National Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce, has commenced prosecution of three major human trafficking cases.
The Taskforce works under authorities at the Ministry of Labour, while the cases were heard at Criminal Court ‘A’ at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia, Montserrado County; the 7th Judicial Circuit Court in Zwedru City, Grand Gedeh County, in Robertsport City, Grand Cape Mount County, during the February Term of Court.
The case involved 14 Liberian children, who were intercepted by officers of the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) in Red- Light, Paynesville, while in the custody of five Liberian women. The defendants are accused of attempting to traffic the children to Burkina Faso.
At the 7th Judicial Circuit Court, the case Republic of Liberia vs. Esther Asuaquo, is ongoing in Zwedru. Ms. Esther Asuaquo, a Nigerian national, is accused of trafficking three Nigerian female minors between the ages of 15 and 19 in 2025, under the pretense of bringing them to Liberia to work in a beauty salon. Instead, she transported the minors to an illicit gold mining site where they were coerced into prostitution for her financial benefit.
Reports indicate that the defendant provided the minors with condoms nightly, and threatened them when they resisted her directives.
At one point, Ms. Esther Asuaquo accused the minors of theft and reported them to the police; however, following investigation and the minors’ statements, authorities arrested and charged Ms. Asuaquo with human trafficking.
In Grand Cape Mount County, the case involving Alieu Bafalie vs. Bendu Kamara, is also before court. Mrs. Bendu Kamara is accused of recruiting and transporting four young persons from the county to Guinea in May, 2025, under the false promise of “overseas travel for better living and employment opportunities.” She has been charged with recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, fraud, and deception in violation of anti-human trafficking laws.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce, Cooper W. Kruah, has condemned the continued reports of human trafficking by individuals and organized criminal networks. Kruah is also the Minister of Labour. He warned that the Taskforce, will not tolerate the illicit recruitment and transportation of innocent citizens under the guise of offering greener pastures abroad.
He described human trafficking as a heinous crime against humanity, condemned both locally and internationally.
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