Court arraigns couple, five others over alleged theft of day-old baby

An Ebute-Metta Magistrates’ Court in Oyingbo, Lagos State, yesterday charged a couple, Chizoba Ike Nwate, 35 and Ike Nwatemole, 40, for stealing a day- old baby.

The couple was charged with five others namely: Oyinyechi Oseneye, 22; Prisca Okocha, 45; Glory Ehinmi, 35; Regina Anyanwu, 59; and Elizabeth Michael, 68. They were alleged to have bought the baby for N500,000.

All seven suspects are standing trial on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and human trafficking preferred against them by the police.

The defendants, who were docked before Magistrate (Mrs.) M. O. Olajuwon, pleaded not guilty to the charge against them. The magistrate granted them bail in the sum of N500,000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.
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Earlier, the prosecutor, Inspector Julius Babatope, had told the court that the defendants conspired among themselves and committed the alleged offences on March 1, 2017, around 10:00a.m.

He said ‎the incident took place at Ikota, along Epe-Ajah Expressway in Lagos.

Babatope added that Okocha, Ehinmi and Anyanwu ‎stole the day old baby, who is now christened as Precious and sold the baby to the couple for the sum of N500,000.

According to the prosecutor, the offences committed ‎are punishable under Sections 275(a)(f) (j) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015

The magistrate, however, adjourned the case to May 8 for mention.