SCARS Institute West Africa Project in Ghana – August 2024

With the help of GISF CyberLaw Academy Series for Criminal Justice Professionals at Ghana UENR

Primary Category: Advocacy and Policy

Authors:
•  SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
•  Portions from Modern Ghana

About This Article

The SCARS Institute’s West Africa Project, in collaboration with the Ghana Internet Safety Foundation (GISF), hosted a two-day CyberLaw Academy event in Sunyani to strengthen cybersecurity and justice for victims of cybercrime, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).

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The event brought together law enforcement, state prosecutors, and industry leaders to discuss strategies for combating cybercrime and equipping professionals with the skills needed for effective prosecution.

The event highlighted the importance of digital evidence and collaborative efforts, empowering participants with knowledge on applying Ghana’s Cybersecurity and Electronic Transactions Acts in court. The event emphasized justice for victims and building a resilient digital future in Ghana.

SCARS Institute West Africa Project with GISF CyberLaw Academy Series for Criminal Justice Professionals at Ghana UENR - 2024

SCARS Institute West Africa Project Working With Ghana Policce & Criminal Justice Professionals With The Help Of The Ghana Internet Safety Foundation (GISF)

The Ghana Internet Safety Foundation (GISF) held a two-day event at the University of Environment and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures and justice for victims of cybercrime and Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) in Ghana.

The event, which took place at the RECESS Auditorium, brought together CID detectives, state prosecutors from the Ghana Police, and other key stakeholders to discuss strategies for a safer online environment. The centerpiece of the event was the CyberLaw Academy, an initiative designed by GISF to equip law enforcement officers and state prosecutors with essential skills to combat cybercrime and ensure justice for victims, especially those affected by CSAM.

Industry leaders and experts, such as SCARS Institute Dr. Tim McGuinness shared insights on cybercrime and victims, and others on the role Artificial Intelligence (AI) can play in prosecuting cybercrime and CSAM cases. The overarching message was clear: justice for victims must be prioritized, and the academy aims to empower professionals tasked with delivering that justice.

The event, held from August 14-15, featured discussions and hands-on workshops focusing on the theme “Harnessing AI for Effective Prosecution of Cybercrime and CSAM Cases in Ghana.” The sessions underscored the importance of collaboration and innovation in addressing cyber threats and emphasized that the prosecution of such cases must lead to justice for victims.

A significant highlight of the event was the presentation by Her Ladyship, Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe, Justice of the Appeal Court and Judiciary Representative on the Joint Cybersecurity Committee. She commended GISF for hosting the event in Sunyani, noting that cybercrime affects everyone, regardless of their location. She urged future initiatives to reach investigators and law enforcement officers across the country, not just in major cities.

Justice Asare Botwe also emphasized the need to rethink the concept of evidence, highlighting the shift from paper-based documentation to digital and electronic evidence in courtrooms. She called for a broader understanding of what constitutes admissible evidence in cybercrime cases.

Gabriel Ofori Appiah, Director of Operations and Outreach at GISF, stood in for GISF Founder and President, Emmanuel Adinkra, expressing gratitude to the event’s participants, speakers, and partners. Special acknowledgments were made to key partners, including the Ghana Police, Digital Aid International, SCARS Institute™, the Mott Foundation, and the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI).

Participants were treated to advanced presentations and panel discussions, with a focus on the practical challenges of applying the correct cyber laws in court. One of the key challenges, according to facilitators, is identifying the right laws that apply to specific cybercrime cases. Attendees were also trained on how to handle cybercrime cases and draft charge sheets, with particular emphasis on Ghana’s Cybersecurity Act and the Electronic Transactions Act.

The academy concluded on a high note, with participants acknowledging the value of collaboration and the importance of building strategic relationships in the fight against cybercrime. They left better equipped to handle cybercrime cases, particularly with the understanding that judges should be referred to Section 7 of the Electronic Transactions Act when dealing with digital and electronic evidence.

The GISF event was lauded as a testament to the power of collaboration and a major step forward in the effort to build a resilient and secure digital future in Ghana.

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Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and to not blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and to help victims avoid scams in the future. At times this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims, we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.

These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.

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