The 33-year-old trader, Latifa Salifu, who is at the centre of the child stealing incident at Mamprobi Polyclinic, has pleaded not guilty to child stealing and has been granted bail.
The taking of her plea was after Police Prosecutors told the Court that their investigations have concluded and they have officially charged her for stealing.
When the case was called on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, the Prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Opoku Aniagyei, said they had filed a new charge sheet to amend the previous charge sheet of the case.
He said the old one was a provisional charge while the case was still under investigation, but now the Police have finished their investigation and have formally charged the accused person, hence the need for the amendment.
Following confirmation by the lawyer for the accused person, Dr. Hamisu Muhammad, that his client had been served with the new charge sheet, the old one was struck out by the Court and substituted with the new charge sheet.
The presiding Judge, Her Honour Annette Sophia Essel, subsequently took the plea of the accused, who pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Bail
Counsel for the accused, while applying for bail for his client, said they will present their story and “defend ourselves” in due course.
Counsel argued that, per the law, all offences are bailable, subject to “the esteemed discretion of this honourable court, and we humbly pray that this court will exercise its discretion in our favour.”
He submitted that the accused person has cooperated with the Police since the day of her arrest and detention on February 17, 2026.
Dr. Muhammad further submitted that the accused person has substantial ties in the jurisdiction and it will be unreasonable on her part to abscond.
Counsel again told the Court that his client is not a flight risk and has a fixed place of abode and is a married woman.
He said the accused and her husband trade as traders, selling clothes and other items. She will not interfere with investigations.
She is ready to provide men of good character and moderate means to stand as sureties for her, and the men are ready and willing to appear and present the accused in court to stand trial.
Trauma
She is already traumatised and depressed, and I believe that this court will not deny her bail as a means of punishment.
“We humbly pray this court admits the accused to bail on soft conditions, as I observed this morning in this honourable court, and I humbly submit,” he said.
No opposition
The Prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Opoku Aniagyei, while not opposing the grant of bail, said, “We pray the bail terms should be such that it will compel the accused to appear before this court anytime the court needs her.”
He added that her bail should be justified, at least with landed property.
By Court
The Court, initially declining to grant her bail, changed its position after the prosecutor indicated he will be out of the jurisdiction for more than 14 days.
The reason for his unavailability was that, “We have been released to take a course from February 24 to March 27, 2026.”
The court granted her bail in the sum of GHc200K with two sureties, one of whom is to be justified with a landed property valued at GHc150K.
The Court said the sureties must deposit Ghana cards with the registry.
Also, the Court preferred the Accused to deposit all travel documents with the registry of the court and should report to the investigator every Monday and Thursday at 1 pm.
The case has been adjourned to April 8, 2026.
Brief facts
Per the brief facts of the case as presented to the Court, the Complainant, Precious Ankomah, aged 29, is a trader living at James Town in Accra, while the Accused person, Latifa Salifu, aged 33, is also a trader and lives at Tony Park, a suburb of Dansoman.
The prosecution said on February 14, 2026, the complainant went to the Mamprobi Hospital to deliver through a caesarean section and after delivery, she was sent to the theatre recovery ward with her baby.
The Prosecution said on February 16, 2026, some laboratory tests were done for her baby, and he was diagnosed with jaundice, so she was told they will be referred to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for further treatment.
It said on the same day, the complainant was discharged, but because she was unable to pay her bills, she was still at the hospital and was moved to the theatre recovery room upstairs.
On February 17, 2026, about 0400 hours, the complainant was at the ward with her baby when the accused, wearing nurses’ scrubs peach in colour, approached the complainant, stood and looked at her and the baby, and left.
It said about 0700 hours, the same day, the accused went back to the complainant and took the baby under the pretext of administering medication for the baby.
The Prosecution said the Accused left with the baby and vanished, and when the morning nurses were taking over and got to the complainant’s bed, they realised her baby was not there.
It said the nurses questioned the complainant, and she stated that a nurse came for the baby under the pretext of giving him medicine, and the area was combed, but the accused was not found.
“A complaint was lodged at Mamprobi Police Station by Abigail Gudjinu, a nurse at the hospital. However, when the accused was being hunted for, she called the whistle-blower on the 18th day of February 2026, saying she had delivered at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital but due to lack of beds, she had been discharged.
“The whistle-blower went for her and alerted the Dansoman Police, and she was arrested and brought to the station. A complaint was lodged, and she was re-arrested and detained.
“Accused, in her Police investigation cautioned statement, denied the offence. Accused, in her Police further investigation cautioned statement, admitted the offence.
“After Police investigation, the accused person was charged with the offence as stated on the charge sheet and arraigned before this Honourable Court,” it said.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
