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The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has commenced investigations into reports of baby harvesting syndicates in the country.
According to the crime investigation agency, four petitions were received from some mothers over their inability to have access to their newborn babies at some health facilities in Accra.
This comes barely two months after the arrest of 11 persons suspected to be involved in baby-harvesting.
The Executive Director of EOCO, COP Retired Frank Adu-Poku on Thursday, March 18, 2021, provided details of investigations his outfit is conducting on the issue.
“The petition came from a lady who is a banker but for some reason, we don’t want to mention her name. She is a banker who came to our office with a petition. She said she was rushed to the 37 Military Hospital as a result of pregnancy complications and Dr. Hope Quarshie Mensah referred her to his private hospital (Susan clinic) because there was no bed available at the 37 Military Hospital.”
“Our understanding is that the lady first went to Holy Trinity Hospital and was referred to 37 Military Hospital but since Dr. Quarshie works at 37 Military Hospital, he claimed there was no bed there and so subsequently the lady was taken to his hospital and according to the lady, she had a natural delivery and heard her baby cry but was later informed that the baby did not make it and has been disposed of without her consent. This case is also under investigation, but we need to share how the baby was disposed of. According to the doctor, he gave it to a cleaner to take it to Awudome cemetery.”
Meanwhile, EOCO says it will not be deterred by the threats from some anonymous persons in executing its duties.
According to the agency, members of EOCO and Medical and Dental Council have received threats from some unknown persons following the arrest of some 11 persons in January for the baby-selling syndicate.
COP Retired Frank Adu-Poku sounded a caution to such individuals.
“Some of us have been in this investigation job and as a dead goat, we fear no knife, but there are some faceless cowards threatening some of our officials and officials from the Medical and Dental Council. But we want to take this opportunity to let them know that we are not perturbed at all and that the threats on the lives of these officials will not stop us but rather going to ginger us to continue to protect public health and safety by preventing and detecting organised crime.”
“We however want to send this strong warning that these unscrupulous and faceless individuals should desist from such things because it won’t have any effect on our work.”
In a related development, the Sefwi-Wiawso Divisional Police Command has arrested five persons for allegedly stealing two-week-old twin babies at Punikrom in the Waiwso Municipality of the Western North Region.
The suspects are Paulina Owusu 26, Haruna Yusif 36, Stephen Owusu 32, Kofi Nkrumah, 24, and Sampson Addai, 33 years.
Confirming the arrest to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Christopher Dzakel, Waiwso Divisional Commander said, four of the suspects were arrested earlier but Kofi Nkrumah who was then at large was later arrested.
According to him, his outfit had intelligence on the 14th of March 2021 that, Paulina Owusu from Sefwi-Boako under his jurisdiction had contracted four men to steal a baby for her and that she had rented an apartment for them.
