NAPTIP arrests female cleric for allegedly trafficking 38 children
Woman buys baby for N600,000 to inherit husband’s property
Modupe Shodeinde
A 45 year-old man, Uchechi Egwim, has told police detectives how a widow, Mrs Stella Ekwerekwu, bought a 6-month-old baby for N600,000 to present to her late husband at his sick bed as their biological child.
Uchechi Egwim, who is an in-law to Mrs Stella was accused of collaborating with the widow to abduct a 6-month-old baby for the illicit act.
Stella’s husband, Victor Ekwerekwu, a business mogul had reportedly died in the hospital shortly after the baby was shown to him as his.
Stella’s action, according to investigation, was to prevent her In-laws from inheriting her husband’s property in event of death.
Uchechi claimed to have driven the suspect in her car to Ihiala area of Anambra State to make payment and subsequently take delivery of the baby.
It was reported that Mr Uchechi, in a confessional statement to police detectives from the Intelligence Response Team, IRT, insisted that Mrs Stella purchased the baby from a couple at Ihiala.
In the confessional statement, he stated that he was contacted by the suspect, a 43-year old widow, to drive her to the point of delivery of the baby.
However, there was controversy over the paternity of the child after the death of Stella’s husband, as Victor Ekwerekwu family said he didn’t father the baby.
The development was reported to the police and it attracted the attention of the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, who ordered a paternity test on the child.
The result of the test which came out negative prompted the IGP to charge the 43-year old widow before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT), High Court for child trafficking and abduction of the baby.
The defendant, Mrs Stella NdidiAmaka Ekwerekwu, was accused of committing a crime that is contrary to section 27 (1) of the Child’s Right Act (2003), and punishable under section 27 (2)(b) of the same act.
Also, one Nkechi Ogbonankwo, who is said to be at large, was charged alongside Ekwerekwu, as an accomplice.
In a three-count (amended) charge filed by GJ Ayanna (Esq}, and marked FCT/HC/NY/CR/77/2020, the police chief said the offence was committed sometime in October, 2019.
The criminal charge, which is being prosecuted through the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB), as well as the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), said both suspects, who are of F16 court road Onitsha, Ananbra state, criminally conspired to perpetrate the crime.
