A 25-year-old unemployed woman, Helena Aba Kwansah Abakah, who allegedly stole an eight-month-old baby boy and circumcised him, has appeared before the Tarkwa Circuit Court in the Western Region.

The mother of the baby, Ms Halima Joll, told the police that circumcision was against the cultural practices of her people.

Abakah, also known as Dijah Ali, pleaded not guilty to the charge of child stealing, contrary to Section 93 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), when she was arraigned before Her Honour Mrs Bernice Mensimah Ackon on March 2, 2026.

The prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police Samuel Ahiabor, told the court that the accused allegedly stole the baby, Musah Joll, from his mother, Ms Joll, on December 24, 2025.

The case has been adjourned to April 28, 2026.

Brief facts

According to the prosecution, the complainant, Ms Joll, a 27-year-old Fulani and hairdresser, lived at Bogoso with her husband and their son.

ASP Ahiabor said the accused first met the couple on December 20, 2025, while they were passengers on a commercial vehicle travelling from Kumasi to Bogoso. After the journey, they exchanged contact numbers and kept in touch.

He added that on December 24, 2025, at about 5 p.m., the accused reportedly engaged the services of the complainant to braid her hair. She took her to St James Anglican Church at Ateikuem, Bogoso, where the braiding took place.

The prosecutor added that during the process, the accused allegedly played with the baby and later took him from the mother under the pretext of helping her work more freely.

Prosecution said later that same day, the accused took the complainant to another location in search of more customers. It was during this time that she allegedly absconded with the baby.

ASP Ahiabor said the complainant, who could only speak Fulfulde, was unable to call for help and instead rushed home to inform her husband. The couple subsequently reported the matter to the Bogoso Police Station and provided the accused’s phone number to aid investigations.

On January 14, 2026, the Cyber Crime Unit of the Ghana Police Service tracked the number to Prestea, where the accused was arrested. The missing child was found with her and rescued.

The complainant later identified her son but noticed that he had been circumcised, an act against her cultural practices.

A medical report from the Bogoso Government Hospital, presented to the court, indicated that the child’s blood level had dropped.

The prosecutor added that further investigations revealed that the accused had married one Abdulai Salu in April 2025 and had allegedly told him she was pregnant before their marriage.

Prosecution said in October 2025, the accused allegedly informed her husband that she had given birth in Kumasi, but claimed the baby had been placed in an incubator due to health complications.

She, however, failed to present the child to him despite repeated requests.

Investigators concluded that after allegedly stealing the baby on December 24, 2025, the accused presented the child to her husband as their own.

Kwansah has since been formally charged and remains before the court as proceedings continue.