A retired midwife and three others allegedly involved in the stealing and sale of babies, at Atuabo and Half Assin in the Western Region, were on Tuesday remanded in custody of the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) by an Accra Circuit Court.
Cynthia Beyeden, 63, retired midwife/ nurse, Sylvester Quashie Nyamekeh, a mason, Ediemu Bozoma, 55, a trade and Cynthia Quashie, a private security officer, are expected to re-appear in court on November 10, this year.
While Beyeden is facing two counts of child stealing, the rest have been charged variously with abetment and hindrance to inquest.
Prosecution, led by Police Chief Inspector Simon Apiosornu, prayed the court to remand accused, who pleaded not guilty, into custody of the NIB pending further Investigations.
He said the police had received tip-offs, which would assist in the arrest of other suspects in the case.
Insp Apiosornu said one of the stolen babies was found and on admission at the Police Hospital in Accra, adding that accused could interfere with Investigations.
Mr Yaw Dankwah, counsel for Nyamekeh, Bozoma and Quashie, prayed for bail for his clients, because they were not flight risk.
The lawyer said remanding accused was not founded in law, adding that they had been in the custody of NIB for one month and it was becoming difficult for them (lawyers) to get access to their clients.
Mr George Asamaney, who represented Beyeden, said accused could be granted bail while investigations continued.
The Court, presided over by Mrs Evelyn Asamoah, said considering the fact that one of the children had died and another child was on admission, it could not grant accused bail.
The court directed the NIB to give accused access to their lawyers.
Chief Insp Apiorsornu, said NIB, Nyamekeh was arrested after he attempted to sell a seven-month-old baby boy at GH¢80,000.00 at Atuabo to an undercover NIB personnel, who feigned interest in buying the victim.
Prosecution said Nyamekeh did the negotiation for the sale of the baby on mobile phone the NIB personnel and sent recorded video of late Victim, Nhyira, a 10-day-old baby girl, to proof that he was into baby selling.
Chief Insp Apiorsornu said Nyamekeh mentioned Beyejen as his source of the baby, adding that investigations revealed that Bozoma and Quarshie had been assisting Nyamekeh in the ‘baby trade.’
The court heard that Bozoma and Quashie kept and took care of the stolen babies in their houses and later gave them to Nyamekeh for ‘disposal’.
According to prosecution, it was also established that the late victim, Nhyira, was with Bozoma, Cynthia Quarshie and one Quarshie, now at large, and that they claimed Nhyira, died while with them at home.
Chief Insp Apiorsornu said Bozoma had informed Beyejen of the death of Nhyira and she (Beyejen) ordered Bozoma, Cynthia Quarshie and one Quashie, now at large, to bury Nhyira without reporting to any authority. – GNA
