The Department of Social Welfare of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has temporarily taken over the care of a three-week-old baby who was sold to an orphanage for Gh¢5,000.
On Friday, September 2, 2022, officials of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DoVVSU) of the Ministries Police Station in Accra told the parents of the baby girl and their families that the state would keep the baby till her custodian was determined by a court of law.
The baby, an offspring of a 51-year-old Goldsmith with a physical disability, Mr Tetteh Zodah of Agormenya in the Upper Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region, and one Patience Efe Mawutor, a resident of Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region, was sold even before she was born.
The lady’s father, Pastor Henry Mawutor, took the awful decision to sell his then unborn grandchild after he fined Mr Zodah Gh¢1,500 for impregnating his daughter out of wedlock.
While Mr Zodah was anxiously waiting for the news of the birth of his first-ever child, the news was rather conveyed to the owner of the orphanage who rushed to the clinic and immediately took over ownership of the child.
A close source disclosed that 30-year-old Patience Efe Mawutor got pregnant for Mr Tetteh Zodah in November 2021, a few weeks after they started a relationship.
Mr Zodah and his family later went to see the lady’s father to inform him of his intention to marry Efe but the father refused with reason that he would not allow a person with a disability into his family. However, he agreed that Mr Zodah should take care of his daughter and the pregnancy and later take his child.
Pastor Henry Mawutor subsequently fined Mr Zodah Gh¢1,500 for getting his daughter pregnant. Gh¢1,000 of the fine was paid while Mr Zodah continued to take care of the lady.
On August 15, 2022, Efe told Mr Zodah over the phone that she had a stillborn at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital on August 10, 2022, and the child was buried by the nurses.
Not convinced by the story, Mr Zodah proceeded to the Hospital, where officials denied that such an incident happened at their facility, after checking their records.
He quickly reported the case to the Dodowa Police who arrested Efe and later referred the case to the Adenta Police in Accra.
She confessed to the Adenta Police that she gave birth at a health facility at Abokobi in Accra, but the baby was sold to a woman at Kasoa for GHS5,000, with the help of her father.
The woman and Pastor Henry Mawutor were also arrested but granted bail afterwards together with Efe.
Considering inconsistencies in the narrations of the suspects at the Dodowa and Adenta Police Stations, the Ministries Police have launched a fresh investigation into the matter from Friday and are hoping to process the case for court this week.
Meanwhile, a disability rights advocacy group, Ghana Disability Forum has thrown its support behind Mr Zodah. The group is willing to offer him legal assistance.
