Court in Togo sentences 7 Nigerians, 1 Togolese, Ghanaian for piracy
Seven Nigerian nationals, a Togolese and a Ghanaian who is on the run, have been sentenced to various jail terms by a court in Lome, Togo.
Local media reported that it was the first time that pirates have been tried in Togo, one of the West African countries with coastline on the Gulf of Guinea, a major trading route that had under attacks by pirates.
The nine pirates who attempted to hijack a ship in Togolese waters in May 2019 have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 12 to 20 years during the trial in court.
The group was accused of attacking the tanker G-DONA 1 during the night of May 11, 2019.
The Ghanaian, who is on the run and facing an international arrest warrant, was sentenced on Monday night to 20 years in prison.
One Togolese national was acquitted while the other eight pirates move on to begin their sentences ranging from 12 to 15 years.
“People should understand that piracy and armed robbery at sea will be punished. And for these sea offenses, we will be uncompromising,” prosecutor Kodjo Gnambi Garba told reporters.
Pirate attacks in the Gulf are mainly carried out by gangs who speed out in boats to raid commercial vessels offshore to kidnap their crew for ransom.
