By Philip Antoh
The government is quietly exploring the extradition of a Russian national accused of circulating private images of young Ghanaian women without their consent a move that would test both diplomatic channels and the limits of Ghana’s cybercrime laws.
Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister Agnes Naa Momo Lartey confirmed to the BBC that extradition is “one of the key options on the table.” But behind the public resolve lies a thicket of complications: Russia has no extradition treaty with Ghana, and Moscow is notoriously reluctant to hand over its citizens even in clear-cut cases.
The case which has circulated widely on social media involves allegations that the suspect, whose name has not been officially released, obtained intimate images of Ghanaian women and shared them online without permission.
The act, commonly known as “revenge porn,” falls under Ghana’s Cyber Security Act, 2020 (Act 1038), which criminalises the non-consensual sharing of intimate images. Conviction carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison or fines.
But getting the suspect into a Ghanaian courtroom is another matter.
The Minister’s cautious choreography reflects the sensitivity. She took care to separate condemnation of the act from condemnation of the victims a deliberate effort to avoid secondary stigmatisation.
“While condemning the act, I will be careful not to condemn the victims so we don’t end up victimising them further,” Lartey said.
Her ministry is now working with victims and other stakeholders to map out a legal strategy. But insiders admit that extradition is a long shot.
In the absence of a bilateral treaty, Ghana would have to rely on diplomatic persuasion or explore mutual legal assistance through international frameworks such as the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime, which both Ghana and Russia have ratified.
The political backdrop matters. Relations between Accra and Moscow have been cordial but not deep. Ghana has maintained a non-aligned posture since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, voting for UN resolutions condemning the war but resisting Western pressure to sever ties.
That balancing act could complicate any request for extradition, which Moscow might treat as a bargaining chip.
The Minister also signalled that the government is still establishing the facts, warning that some online information may be inaccurate. Investigations are ongoing across relevant ministries, departments, and agencies.
“We don’t end up condemning the very people that we are supposed to be protecting,” she said.
The bottom line For the victims, justice has two faces: holding the perpetrator accountable, and providing psychosocial support for recovery. Lartey insists both are being pursued.
But the extradition route, while politically attractive to demonstrate resolve, may prove a dead end. More likely outcomes: an Interpol Red Notice, or a request for Russia to prosecute its own national domestically.
Either way, the case has exposed a gap in Ghana’s legal armoury the difficulty of reaching offenders who operate from jurisdictions with no extradition treaties. The Minister’s war, as she frames it, may be fought as much in diplomatic cables as in courtrooms.