[ 2021-03-19 ]

Baby Harvesting: More suspects picked
A statement signed by Dr Divine N. Banyubala, the
Acting Registrar of the Medical and Dental
Council, and Commissioner of Police Frank Adu-Poku
(Rtd), the Executive Director of the Economic and
Organised Crime Office (EOCO), said three babies
have been retrieved, all safe and healthy in a
foster home, pending the final determination of
the cases.

The statement said investigation had begun into a
fourth baby allegedly bought by one Nancy Obayaa
Frempong.

It said Dr Hope Quashie Mensah of Susan Clinic,
Lartebiokorshie, had been arrested and that all
persons involved had been contacted and the docket
almost ready for submission to the
Attorney-General's Office for advice and
prosecution.

The statement said Dr Noah Kofi Lartey of Tema
General Hospital had also been arrested and the
mother (name withheld because she is a minor) of
the second baby, who was sold at the Tema General
Hospital, had been identified with the baby’s
father, and their statements taken.

It said Nancy Obayaa, who was at large during the
last press conference on Wednesday, January 20,
2021, was arrested on Thursday, February 4, and
currently on EOCO enquiry bail, assisting with
investigations.

The statement said Nancy was under investigation
on the suspicion that she was not the biological
mother of the two-year-old child in her
possession.

It said she and her boyfriend connived with
Leonard Agbley and Doris Badu to illegally
purchase the baby from a health facility, yet to
be identified, and that the case was under
investigation.

The statement said Nelly Tagoe, the nurse in
charge of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
at the Tema General Hospital, had also been
arrested and currently on EOCO enquiry bail;
assisting with investigations.

It said the auntie of the mother of the second
baby had also been identified and her statement
taken.

The docket was almost ready for submission to the
Attorney-General's Office for advice and
prosecution, it said.

It said in February 2020, EOCO received
information that two women had allegedly gone to
purchase a baby from Susan Clinic at
Lartebiokorshie, an information that precipitated
the whole ‘Baby Harvesting and Child
Trafficking’ investigations.

This led to the arrest of two women: Florence
Acquah, a home help aide in the United States of
America (USA) and Eleanor Ofori Nsiah (a former
home help aide in the USA) at their residence at
Manet in Ogbojo, while attempting to abscond with
the baby to Agona Swedru.

The statement said in 2019, Florence was
introduced to Dr Hope Quashie Mensah to help her
adopt a baby and in February 2020, Dr Mensah
contacted her that 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 part
payment of $2,500.00 to Dr Mensah.

Eleanor was arrested on February 4 while
formalising the adoption process of the baby. She
is currently on EOCO enquiry bail assisting with
investigations. The little over one year old baby
had been in her custody till she was arrested.

The statement said efforts were being made to
contact Aku Elevu, a nanny to the baby, to assist
in investigations.

It said ongoing investigations concerning baby
harvesting cases had led to petitions being
received by the Office.

It said on Friday, January 22, a petition was
received from a woman who went to deliver at the
Korle -Bu Teaching Hospital on May 6, 2018. At the
Hospital she met a lady head potter (Kayayo) who
had delivered a baby boy on May 5, but had
abandoned her baby because she could not pay her
bills of GH¢250.
The petitioner asked the Office to investigate the
whereabouts of the abandoned baby, the statement
said, adding that the case was under
investigation.

On Monday, January 25, 2021, the Office received
another petition from a Banker who said in April
2016, she was rushed to 37 Military Hospital as a
result of pregnancy complications.

She said Dr Hope Mensah referred her to his
private facility at Susan Clinic because there was
no bed.
She said she had a normal delivery and heard her
baby cry but was later informed the baby had died
and disposed of without her consent.

The statement said on Tuesday, January 26, 2021
information was received that a baby had been
abandoned on a refuse dump at Ogbojo cemetery and
later some residents alleged the baby had gone
missing.
Upon investigations, EOCO later discovered that
the baby was taken to the Ogbojo Police Station
and later to the Ogbojo Polyclinic for medical
attention.

It said Welfare Officers at Ogbojo Clinic
subsequently moved the baby to the Greater Accra
Regional Hospital where the doctor in charge
examined and declared the baby clinically fit.

The statement said the baby was then referred to
the Social Welfare Officer in Charge at the
Hospital and was currently in a temporary shelter
in Accra.

It said investigation was ongoing to identify the
mother of the abandoned baby.

“We will continue to collaborate to protect
public health and safety by preventing and
detecting organised crime,” it said.

“We, however, send a word of caution to
unscrupulous and faceless individuals spewing
threats. The right authorities have been duly
informed for the appropriate action to be
taken.”

Source - GNA

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