Russian 'pick-up artist' accused of secretly filming women in Ghana

3 hours agoMakuochi OkaforWest Africa reporterGetty ImagesThe man is accused of filming several women during sexual encounters, without their consent. (File picture)Ghana has requested the extradition of a Russian man accused of illegally recording his sexual encounters with several women and sharing the videos online without their consent.African and Russian media identified him as a self-styled "pick-up artist" and online blogger in his thirties who had travelled to Ghana to secretly film his interactions with women.Outlets in both countries claimed the man used a pair of sunglasses fitted with a camera to film some encounters and circulated them on social media, though officials did not confirm this.Speaking to journalists on Saturday, Sam George, Ghana's technology minister, said he had invited the Russian ambassador to discuss the alleged incident.A Ghanaian official said an initial investigation had established the suspect had likely left the country. He added that did "not reduce the seriousness of the alleged conduct or the state's responsibility to pursue accountability".George said he had asked the Russian ambassador in the capital city Accra for Moscow's cooperation in getting justice for the victims.However, Russia does not extradite its citizens, except in extreme circumstances.The minister told BBC News: "I have invited the Russian ambassador in Ghana for a meeting."The actions of the Russian citizen flout our cyber-security laws. I will officially indicate to the ambassador our official position."Earlier, he told reporters: "That gentleman will be looked for, we will activate every resource in our disposal working with Interpol. "We will request the Russian authorities – and that is why I have invited the Russian ambassador – to work with our law enforcement. "We want the gentleman to be brought back to Ghana, extradited to Ghana for him to face the rigours of our law."George said they would try the suspect in absentia if he failed to return to Ghana.Local media report the same man had been involved in similar illegal acts in Kenya.Under Ghana's Cybersecurity Act 2020, anyone who publishes explicit images of children or adults without full consent can face up to 25 years in prison.Authorities in Ghana have been paying increasing attention to online abuse, including sexual extortion and romance scams.There has been an increase in arrests in recent years for these offences.In 2022, a court sentenced a 22-year-old phone repairer, Solomon Doga, to 14 years in prison for sharing nude images of a Lebanese woman. He pleaded guilty to sexual extortion and non-consensual sharing of intimate images.Ghana also introduced new laws under the Cybersecurity Act 2020 to punish those who share nude photos or videos online, especially of women and children, often for revenge or blackmail.