A 33-year-old trader, Latifa Salifu, accused of stealing a four-day-old baby boy at the Mamprobi Hospital, has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢200,000. 

The Circuit Court, sitting at the Police Headquarters in Accra on Wednesday, ordered the accused to provide two sureties, one of whom must be able to justify with landed property valued at GH¢150,000. 

As part of the bail conditions, Latifa is required to report to the case investigator every Monday and Thursday and deposit her travel documents at the court registry. 

The case has been adjourned to April 8, 2026. 

Charged with child stealing, Latifa pleaded not guilty after the prosecution presented amended facts before the court, presided over by Mrs Annette Sophia Essel. 

Chief Inspector Opoku Aniagyei, who led the prosecution, said police investigations had been completed and prayed the court to take the accused's plea.  

He did not oppose bail but urged the court to impose strict conditions that would ensure the accused’s attendance whenever required.  

He further requested that the bail be justified with landed property. 

Defence counsel, Dr Hamisu Muhammed, applied for bail, arguing that under the law, all offences were bailable at the discretion of the court.  

He submitted that the accused was not a flight risk, as she had strong ties within the jurisdiction and plied her trade locally.  

Counsel added that credible individuals were prepared to stand as sureties for her. 

Dr Muhammed further told the court that his client was traumatised and depressed and appealed to the court not to use bail conditions as a form of punishment. 

Presenting the facts, the prosecution said the complainant, Precious Ankomah, a 29-year-old trader residing at James Town in Accra, delivered a baby boy at the Mamprobi Hospital on February 14, 2026, through a caesarean section.  

After delivery, she was sent to the theatre recovery ward with her baby. 

On February 16, laboratory tests conducted on the baby revealed that he had jaundice, and it was decided that both mother and child would be transferred to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for further treatment. 

However, the complainant was discharged the same day because she was unable to pay her medical bills. She remained at the hospital and was moved to the theatre recovery room upstairs. 

On February 17, 2026, at about 0400 hours, while she was at the ward with her baby, the accused, dressed in peach-coloured nurses’ scrubs, approached her, looked at her and the baby, and left. 

At about 0700 hours the same day, the accused allegedly returned and took the baby under the pretext of administering medication. She subsequently disappeared with the child. 

When nurses scheduled for the morning shift reported for duty, they realised that the baby was missing.  

Upon questioning the complainant, she stated that “a nurse came for the baby under the pretext of giving him medicine.” 

A search of the area proved unsuccessful, and Abigail Gudjinu, a nurse at the hospital, reported the matter to the Mamprobi Police. 

The prosecution said on February 18, 2026, while efforts were underway to trace her, the accused contacted a whistleblower and claimed she had delivered at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital but had been discharged due to a lack of beds. 

The whistleblower alerted the police at Dansoman, leading to Latifa’s arrest. 

In her caution statement to the police, the accused admitted the offence.