Prophetess before court for child trafficking

Accra, June 10, GNA - A Prophetess and two traders, who allegedly attempted to sell a one-year-three-months-old baby for GH¢2,000, on Thu rsday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.

The pleas of Cecilia Bali, prophetess, Happy Azasu and Asiedu Ampong

both traders were not taken bur they were remanded into Police custody to

re-appear on June 16. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sarah Acquah, told the cour t that the complainant, Janet Duah, 23, is a petty trader living at Accra Railways and mother of the baby. She said Azasu lives at Awoshie, Cecilia lives at Ashaiman and Ampon g deals in men's shirt at the Railways.

ASP Acquah said complainant knew Ampong only as a trader at the Railways, while Cecilia knew Azasu as a member of Celestial Church of Chr ist at Ashaiman. She said that in the afternoon of June 8, this year, complainant approached a witness, who is a police officer, that Ampong had negotiated

with her to sell her baby for GH¢2,000 to raise capital for her trade. The prosecution said that the witness gave complainant some money an d her mobile phone number to call her anytime Ampong arrived. She said later in the day, Ampong came to the complainant and gave h er one Ghana cedi and a phone number and directed her to meet him (Ampong) a t the Kaneshie-Aplaku lorry station.

ASP Acquah said complainant alerted the witness who trailed Ampong f rom Kaneshie to Darkuman Mosque, where he invited Azasu to meet the complaina nt. She said that some few minutes later, Azasu arrived and sat beside t he complainant in a taxi cab and identified Azasu as a dealer in children's pampers at the Railways. ASP Acquah said that Azasu after realising that the complainant knew

her, alighted from the taxi and went away.

She said later Cecilia brought the money wrapped in black polythene bag to Ampong, who directed her to give the money to the complainant and she obliged. ASP Acquah said after the complainant had received the money togethe r with a half piece of wax print, Ampong signalled Cecilia that there were some police personnel around and she should hurry up with the transaction .. She said Cecilia became frightened and in an attempt to escape, was arrested together with Azasu and Ampong and sent to the Railways Police Station.