JOINT STATEMENT BY THE MEDICAL AND DENTAL COUNCIL (MDC) AND THE ECONOMIC AND ORGANISED CRIME OFFICE (EOCO) ON BABY HARVESTING' / ‘TRAFFICKING'.
BACKGROUND
The Medical and Dental Council and the Economic and Organised Crime Office have been Investigating the activities of some medical practitioners, nurses, social welfare officers and other individuals who were suspected to be engaged in the illegal act of ‘baby harvesting' and ‘human trafficking'.
The Joint team carried out Investigations into the illegal activities between the periods of June to November, 2020. As a result of these investigations, two medical doctors, two social workers, four nurses, two mothers and one traditional birth attendant have been arrested so far and are on bail pending further investigations. We currently have in our possession two baby boys who were bought as a result of the operation.
A. Arrest of Dr. Hope Mensah Quashie
On Thursday, December 31, 2020, Dr. Hope Mensah Quashie who works with the 37 Military Hospital was arrested at his private health facility named Susan Clinic located at Lartebiokorshie, a suburb of Accra. He allegedly sold the first baby boy to the team for an amount of Thirty Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHC30,000.00) in October, 2020.
He was arrested with three nurses who worked at his facility namely Sylvia Awuseh, John Adorey Effie and Angela Ametepe. They have been identified as his accomplices together with one Dede Gifty Anikpi, a traditional birth attendant at Bethlehem Maternity Home at Santoe, a suburb of Kpone Katamanso, who referred the mother of the first baby to Susan Clinic. Madam Dede Gifty Anikpi was arrested by our team on January 15, 2021.
B. Arrest of Social Welfare Officer, Mr. Leonard Agbley
On Thursday, December 31, 2020, a joint team from MDC and EOCO arrested Mr. Leonard Agbley at a health facility in Tema. This was after the suspect agreed to help the investigators purchase a new-born baby for a sum of Twenty-Eight Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHC28,000.00).
He led a member of the Investigations team to the Tema General Hospital where the baby was handed over to them by a lady named Nancy Obaa Yaa.
Further investigations revealed that one Doris Badu, the Social Welfare Officer at the Tema General Hospital was the brain behind the sale of the baby. The baby was allegedly supplied to Madam Doris Badu by one Dr. Noah Kofi Lartey for sale. Madam Doris Badu and the mother of the first baby were arrested in separate operations on Monday, January 4, 2021.
C. Arrest of Dr. Noah Kofi Lartey
Dr. Noah Kofi Lartey who works at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Ridge and operates a private hospital called Dangbe Community Hospital was also arrested in a separate operation on Tuesday, January 5, 2021. The mother of the second baby was arrested on 19th January, 2021 pending further investigations.
Both babies sold by the suspects and bought by the investigations team are currently in safe custody and being properly taken care of pending further investigations.
The Council and EOCO assure the public that the two agencies will continue to collaborate to protect public health and safety by preventing and detecting organised crime.
The Council and EOCO wish to express our appreciation to all stakeholders for their continued support and cooperation especially the Ghana Police Service and members of the public who provide valuable information that culminated in this successful, operation.
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