The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has arrested 11persons for engaging in baby harvesting and human trafficking.

The 11 persons which include mothers of the babies, nurses, doctors and social welfare staff were workers of some health centres in Accra.

 A joint statement issued by the Medical and Dental Council and EOCO on Wednesday, 20 January, 2020 said: “the joint team carried out investigations into the illegal activities between the periods of June to November 2020. As a result of these investigations, two medical doctors, two social workers, four nurses, two mothers and one traditional birth attendant have been arrested so far and are on bail pending further investigations. We currently have in our possession, two baby boys who were bought as a result of the operation.”

According to the statement, on Thursday, 31 December, 2020, after selling a baby boy to undercover investigators, a doctor at the 37 Military Hospital, Dr Hope Mensah Quashie, was arrested at his private clinic located at Laterbiokoshie.

The doctor sold the baby for GHS30, 000 in October, 2020.

“He was arrested with three nurses who worked at his facility namely, Sylvia Awuseh, John Adorey Effie and Angela Ametepe. They have been identified as his accomplices together with one Dede Gifty Anikpi, a traditional birth attendant at Bethlehem Home at Santoe, a suburb of Kpone Katamanso who referred the mother of the first baby to Susan Clinic,” the statement noted.

The Council and EOCO however assured the general public that: “the two agencies will continue to collaborate to protect public health and safety by preventing and detecting organised crime.”

Read full statement below: