Court Jails 23-Year-Old Woman for Stealing Baby in Enugu

An Enugu Magistrate Court has sentenced a 23-year-old woman, Rejoice Odoh, to two concurrent three-year jail terms for conspiracy and stealing a four-month-old baby boy at Oye-Emene Market, Emene, Enugu State.

The Enugu State Police Command disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, saying the incident occurred at about 9 a.m. on Oct. 20.

According to the statement, Odoh had previously posed as a customer to the baby’s mother before allegedly taking the child under the guise of helping to carry him while going to purchase an item from a nearby shop.

The police said the suspect subsequently absconded with the baby, switched off her phone and conspired with her younger sister, who is still at large, to present the child to their family members at Ubahu, Nkanu East Local Government Area, as her own.

The statement said detectives from the command’s State Intelligence Department, working with personnel of Amechi-Idodo Police Division and members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group, acted on the report and technical intelligence to arrest the suspect and recover the baby.

It added that the child was recovered at Idume, Amankanu, in Nkanu East Local Government Area, at about 10:30 p.m. on Oct. 24, and subsequently reunited with his parents.

According to the police, Odoh was arraigned before the Enugu Magistrate Court after investigations were concluded and prosecuted by a police prosecutor from the Legal Section.

The statement said Odoh pleaded guilty and was convicted on Thursday, receiving three years’ imprisonment for conspiracy and another three years for child stealing, with both sentences to run concurrently.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Mamman Giwa, commended the officers, members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group and the prosecuting team for their roles in the arrest, recovery of the child and successful prosecution.

Giwa also appreciated the court for the expeditious dispensation of justice and urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant, prioritise children’s safety and avoid leaving them with untrusted persons.

He further advised the public to report missing-child incidents promptly to the police.