The Ghana Police Service has expanded an ongoing child trafficking investigation with the arrest of an additional suspect, Lucinda Naomi Otchere, who serves as the midwife in charge of the Maternity and Labour Ward at Trust Mother and Child Hospital in Osu.
This arrest follows an intelligence-led operation that uncovered a syndicate allegedly involved in child trafficking and child stealing activities over a prolonged period.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Otchere received a missing 7-year-old girl from another suspect, Janet Larbi, after paying GH₵20,000 to facilitate the transaction.
Furthermore, Otchere is alleged to have paid an additional GH₵35,000 to Larbi with instructions to deliver a separate victim, a 5-year-old girl, to a couple residing in the Pokuase area.
The investigation was initially triggered on April 10, 2026, when the Kasoa Divisional Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) received a report regarding the disappearance of 7-year-old Kadija Karim in Kasoa in the Central Region.
Police established that suspects Janet Larbi and Seikena Umar lured the child away under the pretext of taking her to see her biological mother.
The victim was held at an undisclosed location before being returned to Kasoa with warnings to remain silent about the ordeal.
Subsequent investigative leads linked the suspects to another case involving a 10-month-old infant and a 5-year-old girl who were taken from their mother under the guise of providing care.
The 10-month-old infant was eventually traced to the Ashanti Region, where the child had reportedly been sold to suspects Grace Osei Afriyie and Regina Agyeiwaa for GH₵35,000.
Through coordinated police efforts, the infant was successfully rescued and reunited with their parents, and Kadija Karim has also been safely recovered. However, the 5-year-old girl who was allegedly sent to Pokuase remains missing.
The Ghana Police Service has issued a public appeal specifically directed at the couple holding the child in Pokuase, near Agya Herbal, urging them to voluntarily surrender the girl to the nearest police station or contact authorities immediately.
To date, the Central East Regional Police Command has arrested several suspects in connection with these crimes, including Grace Osei Afriyie, Regina Agyeiwaa, Janet Larbi, Mary Dotsey, Yvonne Twumasi, and Seikena Umar. Five of these suspects are currently on remand, while Grace Osei Afriyie has been granted court bail.
The case is scheduled for its next hearing on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at the Ofaakor Circuit Court.
