The suspect
The Russian Embassy in Ghana has acknowledged recent media reports of an alleged Russian national who engaged in sexual activities with several Ghanaian women and secretly recorded the encounters without their consent.
“The Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Ghana has taken note of the reports in the Ghanaian media on the alleged involvement of a supposedly Russian citizen engaged in sexual activities with some Ghanaian women and recorded those acts without consent,” the post read.
Though the Embassy confirmed media reports circulating on the issue, it however did not confirm the identity or nationality of the individual involved, nor did it disclose whether it has formally verified the claims or initiated any engagement with Ghanaian authorities on the matter.
The statement follows rising public concern on both traditional and social media debate over allegations that a foreign national secretly filmed intimate encounters with several women in Ghana and later distributed the videos on Facebook and other media platforms.
In recent days, Ghanaian social media platforms and some online news outlets have carried claims that a foreign man, believed to be Russian, was involved in a scheme that targeted Ghanaian women for sexual encounters, which were allegedly recorded without their knowledge.
On Monday, social media platforms and several online news outlets were awashed with videos of a man purportedly believed to be a Russian interacting with women for sexual encounters and recording them at some unknown apartments, where he is reported to have lodged while in Ghana.
Many Ghanaians have expressed concern over the matter on radio and on various social media platforms since the recording went viral, calling on government and relevant stakeholders to investigate and prosecute the culprit if the allegations are found to be true.
Secretly recording sexual acts without consent is a criminal offence under the laws of the country and could attract severe penalties, including imprisonment.
The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, in a statement, said it is collaborating with security institutions including the Ghana Police Service and international partners to explore legal options, including cross-border cooperation among others to pursue the matter.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah