The Upper East Regional Police Command has arrested a 38-year-old woman, Abena Martha Maanibeh, for stealing a one-week-old baby from the Upper West Regional Hospital in the Upper West Region of Ghana.
In a press statement signed by the Upper West Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Darko Offei Lomotey, on August 1, 2025, the complainant, Kwofie Mwinbelle, gave birth to a baby boy at the Upper West Regional Hospital in Wa, where the suspect, Maanibeh, was also present under the guise of taking care of another patient.
According to the statement, on August 10, 2025, the suspect allegedly deceived the unsuspecting new mother, Mwinbelle, into going to the Wa market, popularly known as “Kejetia,” to buy baby diapers. She is said to have taken advantage of the situation to steal the baby, along with a mobile phone, an unspecified amount of money, and other valuables.
A coordinated investigative action by the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Upper West Regional Police Command, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Stella Atukwia, apprehended the suspect at her hideout in Nuobollie, a community in the Savannah Region of Ghana, on August 15, 2025. She was brought before a Wa District Magistrate Court and is expected to reappear on September 2, 2025, after being remanded into police custody.
The baby has since been reunited with his mother, along with some of the alleged stolen items, while investigations are ongoing.
“The Upper West Regional Police Command wishes to reassure the public of its unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives and property across the region,” part of the statement read.
The command has also extended its heartfelt gratitude to the public for their vigilance, which contributed to the arrest of the suspect.
