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Four other people were arrested in connection with an alleged “baby harvesting and trafficking” incident in February this year.
A statement signed by Dr Divine N. Banyubala, the Acting Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council, and Police Commissioner Frank Adu-Poku (Rtd), the executive director of the Office of Economic and Organized Crime (EOCO), said three babies have been recovered, all safe and healthy in a foster home, pending the final decision on the cases.
The statement said the investigation has started on a fourth baby allegedly purchased by a Nancy Obayaa Frempong.
He said Dr Hope Quashie Mensah of the Susan, Lartebiokorshie Clinic had been arrested and everyone involved had been contacted and the case was almost ready to go to the Attorney General’s office for advice and prosecution.
The statement said that Dr Noah Kofi Lartey of Tema General Hospital was also arrested and the mother (name withheld as she is a minor) of the second baby, who was sold to Tema General Hospital, has been identified with the baby’s father, and their statements were taken.
He said Nancy Obayaa, who was at large during the last press conference on Wednesday, January 20, 2021, was arrested on Thursday, February 4 and is currently on EOCO investigative bail, helping with investigations.
According to the statement, Nancy was under investigation because she was suspected of not being the biological mother of the two-year-old child in her possession.
He said she and her boyfriend colluded with Leonard Agbley and Doris Badu to illegally buy the baby from a health facility, yet to be identified, and that the matter was under investigation.
The statement said that Nelly Tagoe, the nurse in charge of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Tema General Hospital, was also arrested and currently on bail for EOCO investigation; help with investigations.
He said the aunt of the mother of the second baby had also been identified and her statement taken.
The case was almost ready to go to the attorney general’s office for advice and prosecution, he said.
He said that in February 2020, EOCO had received information that two women had gone to buy a baby at the Susan Clinic in Lartebiokorshie, information that precipitated the body of investigations “ Harvesting babies and trafficking in children ”.
This led to the arrest of two women: Florence Acquah, home help in the United States of America (USA) and Eleanor Ofori Nsiah (former home help in the United States) at their residence in Manet in Ogbojo, then that she was trying to run away with the baby to Agona Swedru.
The statement says that in 2019 Florence was introduced to Dr Hope Quashie Mensah to help her adopt a baby and in February 2020 Dr Mensah contacted her to tell her he had a baby available for adoption.
Florence then called Eleanor Ofori Nsiah, who was in Ghana, to pick up the baby, and she made a partial payment of $ 2,500 to Dr. Mensah.
Eleanor was arrested on February 4 as she formalized the process of adopting the baby. She is currently on bail of EOCO investigation to assist with investigations. The baby, just over a year old, was in his custody until his arrest.
The statement said efforts are being made to contact Aku Elevu, a nanny for the baby, to help with the investigations.
He said the ongoing investigations into the baby harvest cases had led to the receipt of petitions by the Bureau.
On Friday January 22, a petition was received from a woman who went to give birth at the Korle -Bu University Hospital on May 6, 2018. At the hospital, she met a chief potter (Kayayo) who had given birth to her mother. ‘a little boy. on May 5, but had abandoned her baby because she could not pay her GH ¢ 250 bills.
The petitioner has asked the Bureau to investigate the fate of the abandoned baby, the statement said, adding that the case was under investigation.
On Monday, January 25, 2021, the Bureau received another petition from a banker who stated in April 2016 that she had been rushed to 37 Military Hospital following pregnancy complications.
She said Dr Hope Mensah referred her to her private facility at the Susan Clinic because there was no bed.
She said she had had a normal delivery and heard her baby cry, but was later informed that the baby had died and eliminated without her consent.
The statement said that on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, information was received that a baby had been abandoned in a landfill at Ogbojo cemetery and later some residents alleged that the baby was missing.
Upon investigation, the EOCO later discovered that the baby had been taken to Ogbojo Police Station and later to Ogbojo Polyclinic for medical treatment.
He said welfare officers from the Ogbojo clinic then transferred the baby to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital where the responsible doctor examined and declared the baby clinically fit.
The statement said the baby was then referred to the social welfare officer at the hospital and is currently in a temporary shelter in Accra.
He said an investigation was underway to identify the mother of the abandoned baby.
“We will continue to work together to protect public health and safety by preventing and detecting organized crime,” he said.
“We do, however, issue a word of warning to unscrupulous and faceless individuals who spit threats. The competent authorities have been duly informed of the appropriate measures to be taken. “
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