ACCRA, Ghana — Ghana has launched an investigation into a man believed to be Russian who is accused of secretly recording sexual encounters with several women and publishing them online without their consent, authorities said Wednesday, in a case that sparked public outrage.
Samuel Nartey George, Ghana's minister for communications, told a news conference in Accra on Wednesday that the government has taken steps to trace and secure relevant digital and financial evidence linked to publication of the intimate footage.
Kenyan media previously has reported on viral videos that allegedly show Kenyan victims as well.
Kenya's gender minister condemned the secret filming of women by the Russian man on Monday, saying the act would be investigated in collaboration with international authorities. The minister, Hanna Wendot Cheptumo, said the actions were a form of exploitation and urged affected women to seek support through a toll-free helpline number.
Authorities in both Ghana and Kenya have said that the Russian national was allegedly recording and sharing the explicit content on social media platforms without the consent of the women in violation of the law.
Ghana's Gender Ministry has said it is working with police on the case, including exploring cross-border cooperation to track down the suspect, who is believed to currently be outside of Ghana. The suspect's actions have infringed on the ''privacy and dignity of the victims,'' Ghana authorities said.
Separately, Ghana's Foreign Ministry said it called in Russian Ambassador Sergei Berdnikov on Tuesday to formally convey the government's ''strong displeasure'' over what it described as the ''atrocious conduct'' of the individual, which it said ''clearly violates Ghanaian law,'' and to seek Russia's cooperation in pursuing justice.
According to the statement, Berdnikov acknowledged ''the violation of the privacy and dignity of the victims, and the larger cybercrime dimensions,'' and expressed Russia's willingness to cooperate with Ghanaian authorities.
