An Accra High Court has sentenced Philip Spayn Narh, also known as Stuttgart Woods and Valquez Rodeo de Mela, to 12 years of hard labour after he was found guilty of multiple offenses, including sexual extortion, non-consensual sharing of intimate images, and drug possession.
The court, presided over by Her Ladyship Justice Comfort Kwasiwor Tasiame, ruled that Narh engaged in acts of coercion and cyber-related crimes, which had severe consequences for the victim.
According to court records, Narh, a plumber and hairstylist, attempted to force the complainant into engaging in anal sex by threatening to share explicit videos of her on various online platforms, including YouTube, Telegram, and WhatsApp. Despite her refusal, he proceeded to upload the videos on “Adult House,” a Telegram channel, without her consent, subjecting her to emotional trauma.
Further investigations led to his arrest, during which law enforcement officers discovered 95.13 grams of Cannabis Sativa concealed in shea butter and a black polythene bag.
Narh faced multiple charges, including sexual extortion, non-consensual sharing of intimate images, publication of obscene material, and unlawful possession of narcotic drugs. His offenses were in violation of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038), the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), and the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019).
After reviewing the evidence, the court found him guilty on all counts and handed down a 12-year sentence with hard labour.
Background of the Case
Philip Spayn Narh, also known as Sharon Stuttgart Woods and Valquez Rodeo De Mela, was convicted for sexually extorting a 19-year-old Senior High School graduate after luring her with false promises of helping her study abroad.
The victim, who lived with her parents in Kpone, met Narh in late 2020 through a mutual acquaintance on Telegram. Narh, a 26-year-old plumber and hairstylist residing in Bawaleshie near Dodowa, posed as a female German-American businesswoman and philanthropist who could help black girls achieve their dreams.
He convinced the victim that he could assist her in gaining admission to MIT, aligning with her aspirations to become a web developer and artificial intelligence creator.
In December 2020, Narh told the victim that “she” had arrived in Ghana and arranged a meeting at a hotel in Dodowa. However, while she was on her way, he sent another message claiming he had an urgent meeting and instructed her to wait at his “driver’s brother’s” house in Bawaleshie. Unbeknownst to her, this person was Narh himself.
Upon her arrival, Narh manipulated her into engaging in sexual activity under the pretense of a “loyalty test” required for his supposed assistance.
He filmed the encounter and later used the footage to blackmail her, demanding further sexual acts, including anal and oral sex, twice a month. He threatened to release the footage on adult websites, Telegram, WhatsApp, and YouTube if she refused.
On January 5, 2021, after she resisted his demands, Narh uploaded the victim’s explicit content to Adult House, a pornographic Telegram channel, and sent her the link to view it.
Overwhelmed and suicidal, she confided in her best friend, who advised her to comply with his demands.
On January 12, 2021, the victim met with Narh again to plead for the removal of her content. Instead, he became violent, forcibly subjected her to oral and vaginal sex, recorded the assault, and continued his blackmail.
The victim, struggling with suicidal thoughts, eventually confided in her coding tutor, who encouraged her to report the case to the police.
Investigators arrested Narh, and a search of his room led to the discovery of two mobile phones containing the victim’s explicit content, along with a quantity of dried, powdered, and liquid substances suspected to be narcotics.
Forensic tests confirmed the substances as Cannabis Sativa, with net weights of 95.13g (powder), 1.10g (seeds), and 73.37g (another form).
