A 24-year-old unemployed woman, Ugochi Ugbawu, has been arraigned before the Children, Sexual, and Gender-Based Violence Court in Awka, Anambra State, for allegedly stealing an 11-month-old baby boy.
Ugbawu, a native of Ebonyi State, faces a three-count charge of conspiracy, child stealing, and forceful separation of the child from his family.
The prosecutor, Inspector Chinyere Okechukwu, told the court that the defendant and others still at large committed the offense on January 16 at Okpoko in the Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.
“You, Ugochi Ugbawu, and others now at large conspired to fraudulently steal an 11-month-old baby boy, forcefully separating him from his family,” Okechukwu said.
The prosecutor added that the offenses violate Sections 495(a) and 321 of the Criminal Code, Cap 36, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Anambra State (1991) as amended, and Section 15(1) of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law (2017).
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The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Chief Magistrate U.E. Onochie granted Ugbawu bail in the sum of ₦3 million, with a surety in like sum, and adjourned the case until May 28 for hearing.
