Russian woman, Ghanaian boyfriend arrested in Russia for human trafficking
A popular Russian woman, who was a reality TV show in Russia has been arrested together with her Ghanaian boyfriend for trafficking women for sex, the Russian media has reported.
22-year-old Aygun Azizova and the Ghanaian man Shamsu Muhammad were reported to have offered a Ghanaian woman and three Nigerian women jobs in Moscow, the Russian capital. But police say, they planned to sell the women to pimps to be used in prostitution.
According to Russian police they were selling the women for 50,000 rubbles, about $1,650 each.
The reports say the couple was arrested Tuesday January 19, 2010 when police went undercover and posed as potential buyers.
According to the LifeNews.ru website, Muhammad remained in custody while Azizova had been released on bail because she is pregnant. Both could face up to six years in prison if convicted.
Azizova took part in Russia’s Dom-2 (House-2) TV show, which is similar to Big Brother, for several weeks in 2006. She later appeared in a late night TV show on sexual issues aired on Russia’s TNT television, the reports say.
In December 2009, the Daily Graphic carried report on a sex ring in Russia that was uncovered by as a result of a collaborative investigation undertaken by Ghana’s mission in Moscow and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
According to the Ghana Mission in Moscow, 10 of the women were in the custody of three Nigerians, Kingsley Chinedu (alias Boss), resident in Bratislavkaya Dom. 15; Tony Stephane and one Linda. The report said each of the 10 women had been requested to pay between $35,000 and $45,000, in order to obtain their freedom to live wherever they chose in Russia.
The report named Ebenezer Wiredu, Addo Nartey, alias “God’s Time”, Nana Yaw Amankwa, Comfort Akwasi Amoah, Auntie Bee and an individual indentified by the code name “Lava”, as the ring’s agents in Ghana.
Their alleged Ghanaian accomplices resident in Russia were named as De Graft Oppong Checheku, alias Samsung, of House No 60, Ryazanski Prospect, Moscow; Nana Akwasi Amoah, House No 1, Kalushkaya, Samiratu Hassan and Georgina Adoma Afriyie.
The report said the mission had identified some of the girls Nartey recruited and sent to Russia to engage in prostitution during the past four years as Samiratu Hassan, Rita Yeboah, Mariama Osumanu, Apau Emmanuela, Vida Annor, Fremah Cecilia Ama, and Adoma Georgina Afriyie.
Wiredu and Amankwah jointly recruited Gifty Asante, Salihu Zainab, Bremang Boateng and Comfort Aluah, the report said. The Ghana Mission said it was alleged during the investigations that Wiredu had been engaging in passport racketeering as well. “The Ghana Mission has learnt that on or about July, 2009, he sent 10 Ghanaian passports through a courier to one Peter Boamah in Moscow, which were then sold to Nigerian citizens in the Russian Federation, the report said.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi
A popular Russian woman, who was a reality TV show in Russia has been arrested together with her Ghanaian boyfriend for trafficking women for sex, the Russian media has reported.
22-year-old Aygun Azizova and the Ghanaian man Shamsu Muhammad were reported to have offered a Ghanaian woman and three Nigerian women jobs in Moscow, the Russian capital. But police say, they planned to sell the women to pimps to be used in prostitution.
According to Russian police they were selling the women for 50,000 rubbles, about $1,650 each.
The reports say the couple was arrested Tuesday January 19, 2010 when police went undercover and posed as potential buyers.
According to the LifeNews.ru website, Muhammad remained in custody while Azizova had been released on bail because she is pregnant. Both could face up to six years in prison if convicted.
Azizova took part in Russia’s Dom-2 (House-2) TV show, which is similar to Big Brother, for several weeks in 2006. She later appeared in a late night TV show on sexual issues aired on Russia’s TNT television, the reports say.
In December 2009, the Daily Graphic carried report on a sex ring in Russia that was uncovered by as a result of a collaborative investigation undertaken by Ghana’s mission in Moscow and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
According to the Ghana Mission in Moscow, 10 of the women were in the custody of three Nigerians, Kingsley Chinedu (alias Boss), resident in Bratislavkaya Dom. 15; Tony Stephane and one Linda. The report said each of the 10 women had been requested to pay between $35,000 and $45,000, in order to obtain their freedom to live wherever they chose in Russia.
The report named Ebenezer Wiredu, Addo Nartey, alias “God’s Time”, Nana Yaw Amankwa, Comfort Akwasi Amoah, Auntie Bee and an individual indentified by the code name “Lava”, as the ring’s agents in Ghana.
Their alleged Ghanaian accomplices resident in Russia were named as De Graft Oppong Checheku, alias Samsung, of House No 60, Ryazanski Prospect, Moscow; Nana Akwasi Amoah, House No 1, Kalushkaya, Samiratu Hassan and Georgina Adoma Afriyie.
The report said the mission had identified some of the girls Nartey recruited and sent to Russia to engage in prostitution during the past four years as Samiratu Hassan, Rita Yeboah, Mariama Osumanu, Apau Emmanuela, Vida Annor, Fremah Cecilia Ama, and Adoma Georgina Afriyie.
Wiredu and Amankwah jointly recruited Gifty Asante, Salihu Zainab, Bremang Boateng and Comfort Aluah, the report said. The Ghana Mission said it was alleged during the investigations that Wiredu had been engaging in passport racketeering as well. “The Ghana Mission has learnt that on or about July, 2009, he sent 10 Ghanaian passports through a courier to one Peter Boamah in Moscow, which were then sold to Nigerian citizens in the Russian Federation, the report said.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi
Dear Emmanuel!
21-year-old Aygun Azizova is NOT “A popular Russian woman” at all.
She played small occasional roles in one TV show on one of dozen of Russian channels. She became known by media only from this case. She tried to get 50 000 rubles for 4 of them, not each.