The government is moving to extradite a Russian national accused of secretly recording and publishing videos of Ghanaian women without their consent, according to Communications and Digitalisation Minister Hon. Sam Nartey George.
Speaking in an interview, the minister confirmed that the Cyber Security Authority, which operates under his ministry, had begun a full investigation into the alleged incident, describing it as a violation of Ghana’s cybercrime laws.
“Yesterday, I caused the ministry to send an invitation to the Russian ambassador. I intend to meet with him this week and discuss the matter,” Nartey George said. “We are taking a very strong view of it.”
He emphasised that while the women involved were adults who made personal decisions, the non-consensual recording and online distribution of the videos constitutes a criminal offence under Ghanaian law. “Even when you record someone and keep it on your phone without consent, that is a crime. Posting it online for profit makes it even worse,” he said.
The minister stated that the government would collaborate with Interpol and Russian authorities to ensure the suspect is extradited to Ghana to face prosecution. “We will activate every resource at our disposal, just as we have done in previous extradition cases,” he noted. “The gentleman will be brought back to Ghana to face the rigours of our law.”
He added that the government, under President John Dramani Mahama, would protect the rights of all citizens, regardless of the circumstances surrounding the alleged incident. “You cannot record any citizen without their consent and post it online. That violates the Cyber Security Authority Act 1038 of 2020,” he said.
The Communications Minister also revealed that his ministry’s legal team is working with the Cyber Security Authority to build a full docket on the case. He said that prosecution efforts would move forward even if the suspect remains abroad. “Whether we have the gentleman or not, we intend to file a full prosecution. If he fails to appear, we will try him in absentia,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection has issued a statement expressing concern for the female victims involved and reaffirming the government’s commitment to seek justice.
Nartey George urged the public, particularly young women, to remain cautious online while assuring that the authorities would pursue the case “to its legal conclusion.”