The case has been adjourned to July 8, 2026
The alleged theft of a newborn baby from Mamprobi Hospital, a case that shocked Ghanaians earlier this year, remains before the courts as prosecutors race against time to complete their disclosures.
At a sitting of the Gender-Based Violence Court at the Police Headquarters in Accra on June 11, 2026, the prosecution was granted a final opportunity to file disclosure documents after months of delays linked to unsigned witness statements.
The case, which first emerged in February, centres on allegations that a woman posing as a nurse stole a newborn baby from the hospital before disappearing.
How the incident unfolded
According to court documents, the complainant, 29-year-old trader Precious Ankomah from James Town, delivered a baby boy through a caesarean section at Mamprobi Hospital on February 16, 2026.
The prosecution said the baby was later diagnosed with jaundice and arrangements were made for both mother and child to be transferred to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
Although Ankomah was discharged because she could not settle her medical bills, she remained at the hospital with her baby.
Investigators say that at about 4:00 a.m. on February 17, 2026, a woman later identified as Latifa Salifu allegedly approached the complainant while dressed in peach-coloured nurse scrubs, observed the baby and left.
Around 7:00 am, the accused allegedly returned and took the baby under the pretext of administering medication. She reportedly failed to return.
When nurses arrived for duty later that morning, they discovered the baby was missing.
The complainant informed hospital staff that a woman she believed was a nurse had taken the child for treatment.
A search within the facility yielded no results, leading to a formal complaint being lodged with the Mamprobi Police.
Suspect in Mamprobi Hospital baby theft granted GH¢200,000 bail
Arrest and charges
Police investigations took a turn on February 18, 2026 after a whistle-blower reportedly informed investigators that a woman had been claiming she had delivered a baby at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and had been discharged the same day.
The information led to the arrest of 33-year-old trader Latifa Salifu. Prosecutors say she admitted to the offence during investigations.
Salifu has since been charged with child stealing. She has pleaded not guilty and is currently on bail of GH¢200,000.
Delays in the trial
Despite the public interest surrounding the case, proceedings have been delayed due to challenges in completing witness statements.
Prosecutors told the court that although statements had been prepared for the complainant and her husband, they had not yet been signed. Similar challenges exist with statements from doctors, nurses and security personnel expected to testify.
The court was also informed that a lawyer claiming to represent the hospital had requested a meeting with witnesses before they signed their statements, contributing to the delay.
As a result, the prosecution has been unable to file its disclosures for the past two months.
What happens next?
The court has warned that it expects full compliance from the prosecution and urged investigators to use available state mechanisms to ensure all witness statements are signed and filed.
Describing the latest adjournment as a final opportunity, the court granted the prosecution one last chance to complete the disclosure process.
The case has been adjourned to July 8, 2026, when the court is expected to assess whether the prosecution has met the requirements needed for the trial to proceed.
MRA/VPO
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