One of the two senior officials of the Social Welfare Department in Kumasi accused of stealing and selling a day old baby to a couple, has been interdicted, Joy News has learned
Probation Officer, Evelyn Jemima Alangeah, said to have admitted to the stealing and selling of the baby with an accomplice, was interdicted in May and has since been replaced.
She and her 58-year-old colleague, Samuel Obeng Afriyie, the officer in charge of Justice Administration, are said to have admitted to selling the baby to a couple for over GHS16,500.
Evelyn, before her interdiction, had filed a complaint at the Attorney-General’s Office, accusing officers at the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of bias and unfair treatment.
The development is said to have delayed prosecution of the case at court.
Joy News’ checks at the Ashanti Regional office of the Social Welfare Department however, revealed that Evelyn’s colleague, Obeng Afriyie,who is on secondment from the Local Government Services, is still at post. He has been referred to the Service for further probe.
The two suspects, who were picked up in March, have been charged with conspiracy to wit child stealing and child stealing charges.
They are said to have stolen the child from a maternity home where the mother, Deborah Tanyen had been sent to give birth.
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The baby’s mother who hails from Lawra in the Upper West Region, sought support from the Social Welfare Department’s Regional Office last year after her boyfriend abandoned her with a pregnancy.
Evelyn Alangeah was arrested on April 6, 2018, by the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service following investigations.
DSP Juliana Obeng who speaks for the Ashanti Regional Police Command told Nhyira FM the action of Evelyn was to cover up.
“Evelyn took the complainant to Tewobabi in Kenyasi in the Ashanti Region to stay with her in order to cover up her diabolical deeds,” she revealed.
According to her, the two officials shared the money from the sale of the baby.
“Suspect Evelyn charged the couple an amount of GHS 16,500 for the adoption process. Unknown to the couple, the baby was a stolen one.
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But the mother of the child, 22-year-old Deborah Tayeng alleges the foster parents who supposedly bought the child are still keeping her three months after the suspects were arrested.
This is contrary to claim by police they have handed the baby to the Social Welfare Department.
Evelyn and Samuel face child stealing charges
Spokesperson for the family, Felix Kunkpe Kyemuo says the family is unhappy “the police are not trying to reason with us” in the release of the baby at the time all parties [suspects] have admitted to wrongdoing.
He says the family wants to take custody of the baby even before prosecution of the suspects starts.
“Now we feel that as we have come up as a family, the child should be handed over to us whilst the proceedings follow,” he said.
