DCOP Lydia Yaako Donkor, CID boss
THE CRIMINAL Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has announced that Ghanaian professionals, such as health nurses, teachers, artisans, and students, also fell victim to the QNET scheme in the country.
While some foreign nationals rescued in Ghana include footballers, artisans and students, these victims were lured to pay huge sums of money under the pretext of being recruited into football academies for training and placement into top teams abroad, to be employed in lucrative jobs, or as part of processes to travel to Europe or Canada for work.
The victims were typically instructed to travel, usually by road, to an unfamiliar country. Ghanaians were sent to foreign countries, while foreigners were brought to Ghana. Upon arrival, a syndicate member meets them and lodges them in a hotel, demanding an initial training and facilitation fee ranging from 800,000 to 2,000,000 CFA for Francophone victims, or USD 1,000 and above for Ghanaians.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in Accra, CID Boss DCOP Lydia Yaako Donkor mentioned that these victims, who are young and energetic persons aged 17 years and above, both employed and unemployed, are introduced to the QNET business and promised huge returns if they recruit others to join. She added that the scammers impersonate victims in their custody to scam their close relatives by using the phones of the victims to contact their unsuspecting friends and families in their contact lists.
“While in the camp, the victims are compelled, or resort to scamming their parents and families to send them money for feeding, etc. This often leads to the rescued victims being afraid or unwilling to return home,” she added.
DCOP Lydia Donkor stated that the Police Service is working with Nigeria on cases involving victims of a QNET scheme. So far, 76 victims have been rescued and seven ( 7) suspects arrested, all Ghanaians, in different states in Nigeria between May 19, 2025, and June 27, 2025 (30 victims were rescued in Agbara, Ogun State, Nigeria on May 19, 2025, with 15 victims rescued and one (1) suspect arrested in Uyo, Akwa state on June 22, 2025.
She added that the suspects are in the custody of the Nigerian authorities assisting with investigation and prosecution, adding, “Ghana Police Service is working to reunite the rescued victims with their families in Ghana.”
Additionally, DCOP Donkor said between May 6 and 22, 2025, they have rescued 48 victims who are nationals of Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, and Guinea. Currently, all the victims have been sent back to their respective countries to be reunited with their families. “Two suspects from Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso have also been arrested and are in police custody assisting with the investigation,” she added.
On July 20, 2022, the Commercial Division of the Accra High Court ordered the dissolution of Quest Net Limited (QNET) for engaging in dishonest, illegal, and fraudulent business activities. The move followed a petition filed by the former Attorney General of Ghana, seeking the dissolution of the network marketing company for operating in a manner akin to Ponzi schemes. The activities of QNET are also banned in other countries within the sub-region.
The actions of these scammers, including deception, coercion, restriction of movement, and denying access to travel documents, are offenses punishable under the Anti-Human Trafficking Act of Ghana, 2005 (Act 694) and Ghana’s Criminal Code, 1960 (Act 29) (consolidated up to 1999).
Persons found culpable of luring others (friends, relatives, etc) to other countries, either for QNET or similar activities, will be arrested and prosecuted in the respective country.
Suspects arrested in connection with rescues in Ghana by the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit have been arraigned before court and remanded to assist with investigations.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke