BY NADIA NTIAMOAH
Two Ghanaian women from the Western North Region have reportedly been arrested, convicted and sentenced to prison in Iraq under circumstances that remain largely unclear, raising concerns among relatives and members of their hometown over their welfare and legal situation.
The women, identified as Juliet Amponsah and Charity Eme, are reported to hail from Asempaneye, a community in the Sefwi Wiawso Municipality of the Western North Region.
According to reports, the two women were arrested by Iraqi authorities together with several other foreign nationals during an operation whose details have not been publicly disclosed.
Following their arrest, they were reportedly prosecuted before an Iraqi court, convicted and subsequently sentenced to terms of imprisonment.
Reports further indicate that the women have already spent several months in prison under what have been described as difficult conditions, with little or no support from outside the correctional facility.
However, the exact offences that resulted in their arrest, prosecution and conviction have not yet been officially disclosed by Iraqi authorities, and no court documents outlining the charges or sentence have been made public.
The absence of official information has created uncertainty surrounding the case, with relatives and residents of their hometown reportedly seeking clarity on the circumstances that led to their imprisonment.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor Ghana’s diplomatic representatives in Iraq had publicly commented on the reported conviction of the two women.
Similarly, Iraqi authorities have yet to issue an official statement detailing the charges, trial proceedings or length of the prison sentences imposed on Juliet Amponsah and Charity Eme.
