The Ejisu Divisional Police Command has released the parents and an uncle of the five-month-old baby allegedly stolen at the Asafo Market in Kumasi. They were earlier arrested for falsely accusing a woman of stealing the child. Freda Owusu, her husband Emmanuel Acheampong, and Mr. Osei Kuffour, a relative of Freda Owusu, were picked up after identifying a baby found with a traveler, Aliya Salomey, as their missing child.
The three individuals circulated their claim on social media, but a subsequent identification parade conducted at Ejisu proved that the baby in Aliya Salomey's custody was not theirs. This led to their arrest for false information and defamation. However, after preliminary screening, the police released the trio. According to Ejisu Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Samuel Kofi Gamson, the parents and uncle were released after interrogation.
The police have arrested the woman under whose care Freda Owusu reportedly left her child before the baby went missing at the Asafo Market. The woman, whose name has been withheld for investigations, is currently in custody and assisting police with enquiries. Chief Superintendent Samuel Kofi Gamson confirmed that the woman was arrested to assist with further investigations.
The baby was reportedly stolen from the Cape Coast Bus Terminal section of the Asafo Market, at the area known as Opera Site, in the early hours of Sunday, September 20, 2026. The case took a dramatic turn when the Ejisu Divisional Police arrested Aliya Salomey, who was traveling with a baby on board a VIP bus heading towards Accra.
Aliya Salomey was granted police enquiry bail after her husband appeared at the station and testified that she was his wife and that the baby belonged to them. However, no official report of a missing child had been filed at Ejisu at the time she was granted bail. The parents of the missing baby later identified a photograph of the baby and the suspect as their missing child and his abductor.
The entire case has now been transferred to the Asokwa Police Station for further investigation, where the parents initially reported the theft of their child. Arrangements are in place to conduct a DNA test on the baby found with Aliya Salomey to scientifically establish maternity before she is formally cleared of the child-stealing allegation.
Police say investigations are ongoing to trace the missing infant and to establish the circumstances under which he went missing while under the care of the newly arrested caretaker. The police are working to resolve the case and bring the perpetrator to justice.
Key points
- The Ejisu Police have released the parents and uncle of the missing baby but arrested the caretaker for further investigation.
- A DNA test will be conducted to establish the maternity of the baby found with Aliya Salomey.
- The case has been transferred to the Asokwa Police Station for further investigation.
