A
43-year-old woman, Chinyere Okonkwo, has been arraigned before an Ebute
Meta Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stealing a two-day-old baby.
It
was learnt that the suspect allegedly stole the baby from Abia State
and was on her way to Lagos State when the child began to cry
inconsolably.
Okonkwo’s inability to placate the baby was said to have aroused suspicion from passengers in the bus.
A
police officer in the vehicle was said to have ordered the driver to
park the bus by the side of the road. He interrogated the suspect who
reportedly said the mother of the child lived in Lagos.
Her
suspicious response was said to have made the policeman direct the
vehicle to the nearest police station, where she was further queried.
It
was learnt that the defendant allegedly made confessional statements
which led to the arrest of her accomplice, one Ogbu Orji, also from Abia
State.
Both Okonkwo and Orji were arraigned on four counts of kidnapping and child stealing.
The police however told the court that the true mother of the child was yet to be found.
The
charge read in part, “That you, Chinyere Okonkwo, Ogbu Orji, and others
now at large, on November 6, 2013, while on transit to Lagos at Lagos
Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to
wit; kidnapping and child stealing.
“That you, with intent to
deprive one Judith, aka MD Abubakar, aged two days old, of the care and
custody of her biological parents, name unknown, did steal the child.”
The
police prosecutor, Inspector Richard Odige, said the offence was
punishable under sections 409, 275, 269, 135 of the Criminal Law of
Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.
The defendants said they were not guilty of the offence.
The
magistrate, Mrs Demi Ajayi, admitted them to bail in the sum of
N500,000 with two sureties each in like sum. The matter was adjourned
till January 27, 2014.
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