Minister Samuel Nartey George Vows to Pursue Russian Suspect in Non-Consensual Video Case
The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has disclosed that Ghanaian authorities will pursue the foreign suspect through diplomatic and legal channels to ensure he faces prosecution in Ghana under the Cybersecurity Act.
“We want the gentleman to come to Ghana, to be brought back to Ghana, extradited to Ghana, for him to face the rigours of our law.”
He revealed that he has already directed his ministry to formally engage the Russian Ambassador as part of diplomatic efforts to secure cooperation from Russian authorities.
“Yesterday, I caused the ministry to send an invitation to the Russian Ambassador. I intend to see him this week and have a conversation with him,” he said, adding that the government is taking “a very strong view” of the matter.
The case involves a foreign national who allegedly lured Ghanaian women, recorded intimate encounters without their consent and subsequently published the videos online, reportedly for financial gain.
The Minister clarified that the issue is not about moral judgement or the private choices of consenting adults, but about clear criminal conduct.
“What the Cyber Security Authority is interested in, and my ministry is interested in, is in the non-consensual sharing of the videos that were posted online. That is a crime,” he stressed.
He explained that while consenting adults are free to make personal decisions, recording someone without their knowledge and distributing such material — especially for financial gain — constitutes a criminal offence under Ghana’s Cybersecurity Act.
“It is a crime to record a person without their consent… and you go and post it on a website for financial gain,” he said.
Mr George indicated that Ghana will activate every available legal and international cooperation mechanism, including collaboration with Interpol, to ensure the suspect is returned.
“My team at cyber security is building a full docket… we will make a representation before the courts, try him in absentia and get judgment if he fails to show up. But we will not let this go,” he assured.
The Minister further pledged that the rights of Ghanaian citizens will be protected regardless of the circumstances surrounding the incident, reinforcing the government’s commitment to combating cyber-enabled crimes and protecting victims of non-consensual intimate imagery.
