Police arrest 6 women in child trafficking syndicate, rescue 3 victims

The Central East Regional Police Command has arrested six suspects in connection with a child trafficking case and rescued a 10-month-old infant following the reported disappearance of a 7-year-old girl at Kasoa in the Central Region.

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A press statement signed and issued by the Head of Public Affairs, DSP Victor Kofi Dosoo, confirmed the arrests and detailed ongoing investigations into the case.

The suspects have been identified as Grace Osei Afriyie, 71, Regina Agyeiwaa, 57, Janet Larbie, 40, Mary Dotsey, 38, Yvonne Twumasi, 32, and Seikena Umar, 32.

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According to the statement, on April 10, "the Kasoa Divisional Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) received a complaint of a missing person involving 7-year-old Kadija Karim, which was lodged by her aunt, a witness in the case. The report indicated that the child went missing while playing within her neighbourhood".

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The statement noted that preliminary investigations established that the victim was found on April 11. Upon questioning, she allegedly indicated that Janet Larbie and Seikena Umar had lured her under the pretext of taking her to her biological mother. She was, however, taken to an unknown location and left in the custody of an unidentified woman.

It further stated that the suspects later returned the child to Kasoa on April 11 in a taxi cab and warned her not to disclose her ordeal to anyone.