Ghanaian woman in court for allegedly presenting a stolen baby to her husband after faking pregnancy

A 25-year-old unemployed woman, Helena Aba Kwansah Abakah, has appeared before the Tarkwa Circuit Court in the Western Region for allegedly stealing an eight-month-old baby boy and presenting him as her own child, according to reports from Crime Check.

The accused, also known as Dijah Ali, pleaded not guilty to a charge of child stealing, contrary to Section 93 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), when she was arraigned before Her Honour Mrs Bernice Mensimah Ackon on March 2, 2026.

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The case has since been adjourned to April 28, 2026. According to the prosecution, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police Samuel Ahiabor, the incident dates back to December 24, 2025, when the accused allegedly took the baby, identified as Musah Joll, from his mother under deceptive circumstances.

The complainant, Ms Halima Joll, a 27-year-old Fulani hairdresser, lives in Bogoso with her husband and their son.

She told police that she first met the accused on December 20, 2025, while travelling together in a commercial vehicle from Kumasi to Bogoso. After the journey, the two exchanged contact details and kept in touch.

Prosecution said that on December 24 at about 5:00 p.m., Abakah reportedly contacted Ms Joll for hair braiding services. She took her to St James Anglican Church at Ateikuem, Bogoso, where the accused braided her hair.

During the process, the accused allegedly played with the baby and later took him from the mother under the pretext of allowing her to work more freely.

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The prosecution told the court that the accused subsequently led Ms Joll to another location in search of more customers, but at some point allegedly fled with the child.

ASP Ahiabor explained that the complainant, who could only speak Fulfulde, was unable to immediately raise an alarm and instead rushed home to inform her husband.

The couple later reported the incident to the Bogoso Police Station and provided the accused’s phone number to assist investigations.

Police investigations led by the Cyber Crime Unit of the Ghana Police Service traced the number to Prestea, where the accused was arrested on January 14, 2026. The missing baby was found in her possession and rescued.

However, upon reuniting with her son, Ms Joll discovered that the child had been circumcised, an act she said was not in line with her cultural practices. A medical report from the Bogoso Government Hospital, presented in court, further indicated that the child’s blood level had dropped.

Further investigations revealed that the accused had married one Abdulai Salu in April 2025 and had allegedly told him she was pregnant prior to their marriage.

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In October 2025, she reportedly informed her husband that she had given birth in Kumasi but claimed the baby had been placed in an incubator due to health complications.

Prosecutors told the court that despite repeated requests, the accused failed to present the child to her husband.

Reports say that after allegedly stealing the baby, she presented him to her husband as their biological child. The accused remains before the court as proceedings continue.