Alleged baby thief undergoing medical examination

Accra, Feb. 21, GNA - A 27-year-old self-styled nurse, Jacinta Oduro Kwarteng, who stole a two-week-old baby girl from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and sent her to the Central Region, is undergoing psychiatric examination.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sarah Acquah made this known to the court when the case was called this morning. As a result of the development, the accused was not brought to court. ASP Acquah said the medical officer had not told the Police when the examination would be over.

Jacinta's counsel, Salasie Kofi Fumey insisted that the examination shou= ld be expedited and a written report on the accused's condition should be forwarded to the court. The court therefore tasked the Police to do well to procure the report on Jucinta's condition and adjourned the case to March 1. Jacinta who is standing trial for child stealing had her plea reserved by the court because the police had not completed investigations. Her counsel at the last sitting contended that his client was ill and was not medically sound to answer the charge levelled against her. The court therefore ordered that Jacinta, who is also a mother, shoul= d undergo psychiatric examination to determine whether or not she was fit to stand trial.

The prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sarah Acquah, however, told the court that Jacinta was 93100 per cent sound" to stand trial.

She said the accused was sent to the hospital three days ago by the Police and doctors declared that she was fit to stand trial and Police woul= d provide the medical report to that effect. The prosecutor said it would provide the court with evidence on how accused planned from December to carry out her diabolic act. According to her, the police would be extending their investigations t= o Central, Eastern and Ashanti Regions and they would need more time to conduct further investigations.

ASP Acquah told the court that Jacinta resides at Dansoman, Accra. On January 17, the complainant gave birth to a baby girl at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and she was discharged two days later and asked to report on January 31 for review. The prosecutor said on January 31, the complainant and her auntie took the baby to the hospital but the medical doctor was not available hence she was asked to report the following day.

When the complainant was leaving, she met the accused dressed in white attire seated at the Maternity Out-Patient Department (OPD). The prosecutor said the complainant approached Jacinta and asked if he= r baby could be weighed since her doctor was unavailable. Jacinta then offered to assist the complainant and asked the complainant to leave her baby with the auntie to enable her to take her (th= e complainant) upstairs to see another doctor.

The prosecutor said on the way to see the doctor, Jacinta asked the complainant to wait for her while she collected laboratory results from the Central Laboratory. ASP Acquah said Jacinta went to the complainant's auntie who was the= n holding the baby and told her that the medical doctor wanted to see the baby. The complainant's auntie therefore gave the baby to Jacinta. The complainant, the prosecutor said, realising that Jacinta had kept long in returning went back to see her auntie and the baby but to her surprise she was told that Jacinta had come for the child. The complainant and her auntie searched the various departments of the hospital but to no avail. They therefore lodged a complaint with the Korle-Bu Police. The prosecutor said Jacinta was arrested at her hideout at Dansoman =91Last Stop' and she mentioned one Ataa as the person who bought the bab= y for GH¢300. ASP Acquah said Ataa realising that she was being sought by the Police sent the baby to Assin Fosu Government Hospital in the Central Region where she abandoned her (the baby) and went into hiding. The case was transferred to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit in the Greater Region.