My client has no knowledge of Takoradi stolen baby- lawyer Emmanuel Kofi Arthur
The lawyer for one of the suspects involved in the abduction of the 12-month old boy at the Takoradi Market circle, Emmanuel Kofi Arthur says his client had no knowledge that the baby was stolen.
According to him, his client, Lawson Lartey, was misled by circumstances after his girlfriend Mawusi, told him of her pregnancy and subsequent delivery of a baby boy, while he (Lawson) was outside the country.
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He said Mawusi continued giving his client the impression that she was pregnant and had delivered for a year and a month.
Lawyer Arthur, who was speaking in a radio interview on Accra-based Starr FM, said according to Lawson, after he returned from the trip, he started demanding to see his son until after three days of intense pressure, Mawusi returned with the stolen one-year-old baby.
“After three days, Miss Mawusi brought the child and naively he also believed it was his son after four months. He even named the boy Ibrahim out of joy and started foolishly parading all around that this is my son,” he said.
He added that “we all behave foolishly at times and therefore, Mr Lartey should not be punished for what happened.”
He further pleaded that since Miss Mawusi has pleaded guilty for stealing the child, Mr Lartey, should not be punished for keeping the child in his custody, since he was made to believe that he is the father of the boy.
The Court remanded the two in police custody to reappear on April 5 after Mawusi pleaded guilty to all the charges and asked the judge to have mercy on her because of her pregnancy.
The court subsequently ordered the police to conduct a pregnancy test on Mawusi at an accredited health facility.
Read also: Takoradi baby thief accused persons remanded in police custody
Related: Takoradi missing one-year-old boy found
