Midwife arrested in GH¢55k child trafficking probe at hospital in Osu

The Ghana Police Service has arrested a midwife at Trust Mother and Child Hospital in Osu over her alleged role in a child trafficking syndicate.

Lucinda Naomi Otchere, head of the maternity and labour ward, was picked up on May 13, 2026, adomonline.com reported.

Police say Otchere allegedly received a missing 7-year-old girl from suspect Janet Larbie and paid GH¢20,000 to facilitate the deal.

She later paid another GH¢35,000 and told Larbie to send a 5-year-old girl to a couple at Pokuase.

Investigators believe the syndicate has been operating for some time.

The arrest follows an earlier swoop by the Central East Regional Police Command that arrested six suspects; Grace Osei-Effie, Regina Ejewa, Janet Larbie, Mary Doce, Yvonne Chumessy, and Sekina Umar.

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The probe started after Kasoa DOVVSU received a complaint on April 10, 2026, about the disappearance of 7-year-old Khadija Karim.

"Larbie and Umar lured her under the pretext of taking her to see her mother, took her to an undisclosed location, then returned her and warned her to keep quiet," the police said in earlier report.

Investigations linked the group to two more cases involving a 10-month-old baby and a 5-year-old girl allegedly taken from their mother to be cared for.

The baby was traced to the Ashanti Region, where it was allegedly sold to Osei-Effie and Ejewa for GH¢35,000.

The infant has been rescued and reunited with parents, and Khadija has also been found safe.

Police say "the 5-year-old girl sent to Pokuase is still missing."

"They are appealing to the couple believed to be keeping her near Ejisu to hand her over or contact investigators," the report added.

Five suspects are on remand while Grace Osei-Effie is on bail.

The case is to be heard today, May 13, 2026, at the Ofankor Circuit Court.

Police say efforts are ongoing to arrest other accomplices.

NAD/VPO

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