37-yr woman child thief arrested in Bolgatanga

Ms Martha Abagna, a 37-year-old tomato trader and a native of Daporetindongo, a suburb of Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, has been arrested for allegedly stealing a one month old baby.

Further investigations have indicated that an eight-year-old girl, who is staying with her and bearing the name of her husband, was not her biological daughter.

Briefing the media, the Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Bright Oduro, said the police upon a tip off went to the house of Ms Abagna where they found the baby with her and was consequently brought to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU).

According to the Regional Police Commander, when Ms Abagna was interrogated, she said, she gave birth to the baby in Burkina Faso during one of her business trips.

He said when she was pressed further Ms Abagna said she bought the baby in Burkina Faso from her Burkinabe business friends who advised her to pretend to be pregnant for some time.

ACP Bright Oduro said Ms Abagna was taken to the hospital for her to be subjected to tests to ascertain if she had the baby.

He said test conducted by Dr Peter Baffoe, a gynecologist of the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital proved she had had her womb removed and there was no breast milk, indicating Abagna was not breastfeeding.

ACP Oduro said the two children have been sent to foster homes whilst investigations continue.