RoseA circuit court has ordered pregnancy test to be conducted on the 42-year-old woman arrested for stealing a one-year-old baby in Takoradi last Friday. Rose Mawusi Fiaku on Wednesday pleaded guilty to child stealing when was put before court but before she could be convicted and sentenced, she told the judge she was sick and has been vomiting. When asked by the presiding judge if she was pregnant, she responded in the affirmative, but said she may have had miscarriage due to alleged assault on her Tuesday during her arrest by the police. According to her, she was kicked in the abdomen several times. Notwithstanding, the judge, Ms Abena Agyin Doku, insisted the test is done. The judge then remanded Rose and her partner, Lawson Lartey, into police custody to appear again on April 5, when she is likely to be sentenced. Lartey who was also charged with child stealing, pleaded not guilty. Deceit His lawyer, Emmanuel Arthur, told the court that Rose deceived him that she was pregnant for him and had periodically shown him a baby as his until the baby was about four months old when he traveled for about six months. On his return, Rose brought the stolen boy, Francis Mawusi Ahiagbenu, to him as his son. Rose and her partner, Lartey Lartey named the boy Ibrahim and went round the neighbourhood showing him off as his son. Expressing shock at the turn of events, he said he currently does not have any amorous relationship with Rose. Even though his lawyer asked for bail for him, the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Veronica Tibson, insisted he should be remanded for his on safety. She also argued that Lartey has a tendency to travel and might do so but his lawyer countered that Lartey was very safe in his neighbourhood as it was his neighbours who had even approached him to represent him. Background Ahiagbenu was stolen from her mother, Nana Akosua Bowaa, at the Market Circle, last Friday by Rose who was said to have sweet-talked the mother into giving the child to her.
Eyewitnesses claimed the baby thief had told the child’s mother that she was going to buy sausage for the one-year-old but never returned with the baby. A CCTV footage showed Rose, who had veil covering her hair, leaving the market area with the little boy. Following a tip-off, little Ahiagbenu was rescued in the wee hours of Tuesday from the baby thief and Lartey who was believed to be her husband at the time. The two were subsequently arrested and taken into custody. By editors.3news.com|Ghana
