Suspected child kidnapper nabbed in Jakiri

A housewife from Shiy village in Jakiri Subdivision, Bui Division of the North West Region, (name withheld) was recently nabbed in connection with the suspected kidnapping of a two- month-old baby.

According to the Senior State Counsel for Bui, Justice Ignatius Taminang Ateh, the suspect, who was arrested by police in Jakiri, has been remanded in the Kumbo Principal Prison.

The woman, we learnt, met a babysitter with a two-month-old baby in front of their home in Nsom village, Jakiri. The suspect gave the babysitter money to get her something from a nearby shop while she kept the baby; pretending that she came to see the mother of the child. When the babysitter returned from the shop, the stranger had disappeared with the baby. Then family immediately alerted the Commissioner of Public Security, Jakiri and a manhunt for the kidnapper started. After four hours, police discovered the suspected child kidnapper with the baby in her home in Shiy village, Jakiri.

According to sources, the suspect is not married and does not have any child. Meanwhile, the abducted baby was returned to the rightful mother.

According to Justice Taminang Ignatius, the offence is aggravated kidnapping in law because the child is less than 13 years as per Section 354 of the Penal Code. He said Section 354 of the Penal Code punishes such an offence with life imprisonment.

The Senior State Counsel clarified that the appellation “child theft” was wrong because stealing in law means taking away property belonging to another person. He said a human being who is victim of abduction cannot be said to be lost property.