SAMUEL KWAPONG Darko, a visually impaired person, who is the owner of the Eye Of the Lord Day Care Centre located at Dzatsui-Newton near Nsawam in the Eastern Region, has been arrested together with his wife and three staff members for allegedly conspiring and selling 18 months old twins for GH¢30,000 to a certain businessman.
The suspects were grabbed when the mother of the twins, Alfie Adjoa, aged 30, went to the Nsawam Police Station to file a complaint against them for allegedly selling her kids last month.
DAILY GUIDE gathered that the suspects, who were later granted bail, have not been prosecuted, and this has raised concerns as to why the police have not investigated the matter to get information about the whereabouts of the kids.
How It Happened
Ebenezer Ofori, Assemblyman for Kraboa Electoral Area in the Ayensuano District, who confirmed the incident to DAILY GUIDE, explained that the mother of the twins, a single parent, met Samuel Kwapong Darko who pretended to assist her to take care of her babies.
According to him, the single mother who lived with her mother at Afanso agreed and sent the children to an orphanage.
He said the owner of the orphanage invited the lactating mother to his home one day. When she arrived there, they offered her GH¢10,000 in exchange for the babies after waiting for an hour in a room.
Ebenezer Ofori noted that she asked them why they gave her such a huge amount of money but they told her it was for assistance they pledged to give to her.
He continued that the woman then asked them to give her GH¢200 for something urgent so she would get back to them later.
She went straight to the Nsawam Police Station and filed a report, and reported the case to the assemblyman afterwards.
Police
DAILY GUIDE source confirmed that the police then proceeded to arrest the owner of the orphanage and his accomplices.
After the arrest, the suspects were said to have mentioned the one whom they sold the twins to, who was also invited by the police but he failed to show up and rather sent the twins back to the police to give them to their mother.
The suspects were then granted bail and that has been the end of the case, which has left tongues wagging.
The Nsawam Police Commander, Supt Mariam Owusu, when contacted at the time of filing this report, told DAILY GUIDE that she was not aware of the incident.
She quickly told the reporter to call her on Monday morning for verification.
Shutdown of Orphanage
The Eye of the Lord Orphanage was in 2015 shut down by the Regional Department of Social Welfare after an order given by the Koforidua Circuit Court for operating an orphanage without legal backing.
The Regional Head for Child Right Promotion and Protection at the Department of Social Welfare, Sarah Kwao, said the centre was only licensed to operate a daycare centre and not an orphanage.
Some personnel of the Social Warfare Unit, during their visit to the site, observed that the owner of the orphanage operated the home without permission, adding that most of the children admitted to the orphanage were not orphans.
Residents Concerns
Meanwhile, residents of the community who are not happy with the development are calling on the government to take legal action against him.