Woman Sentenced to Three Years for Abducting Infant at Kpando Market

A 31-year-old woman has been sentenced to three years in prison after admitting to abducting an eight-month-old baby at Kpando Market in the Volta Region.

Stella Amedzorme received the sentence from the Kpando Circuit Court on August 3, 2026, after pleading guilty to the offence. The child was safely rescued following police investigations, according to a statement issued by the Volta North Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector Felix Kwao.

The incident occurred on July 17, 2026, when the baby’s 21-year-old mother, Gloria Xagbe, left her son in Amedzorme’s care while she went to buy packaging bags at the market. Upon returning, she discovered that both the woman and the child had disappeared and immediately reported the matter to the police.

Police intelligence led officers to Toviate, a community near Kwamekrom in the Oti Region, where Amedzorme was arrested on July 18. The missing baby was found unharmed during the operation.

Investigators said Amedzorme confessed that she took the child at the request of her fiancé, who remains on the run.

She was first arraigned before the Kpando Circuit Court on July 20 and remanded into police custody. On her second appearance on August 3, she pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.

The Volta North Regional Police Command described the swift rescue of the child and the suspect’s arrest as evidence of its commitment to protecting vulnerable members of the public and ensuring offenders face justice.

Police also confirmed that efforts are ongoing to arrest Amedzorme’s fiancé to assist with investigations.

The Command further advised parents and guardians to remain vigilant and exercise caution when entrusting their children to others to help prevent similar incidents.