The Dansoman Police Command has apprehended Latifa Salifu in connection with the theft of a newborn from Mamprobi Polyclinic in Accra. The baby, just four days old, was taken from the postnatal ward in an incident that shocked hospital staff and the public.
At a press briefing on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, Superintendent Juliana Obeng, Head of Public Affairs for the Accra Region, said the arrest came after swift police action and strong cooperation from the community following the report on Tuesday, February 17.
Police reports indicate that at around 10 a.m. on February 17, Abigail Dzikunu, accompanied by Henrita Abe Blessed, informed authorities “that an unidentified woman, disguised as a nurse, had stolen a newborn from the hospital’s postnatal ward.”
The infant’s mother, Precious Ankomah, who gave birth on February 14, described the moment her son was taken: “A woman dressed in a nurse’s peach-colored uniform took the baby under the pretext of administering medication and disappeared.”
Authorities quickly visited the hospital, gathered statements, and launched a manhunt. At approximately 3:40 a.m. on Wednesday, February 18, Latifa Salifu, 33, a cloth seller in Accra, was arrested at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital while in possession of a baby believed to be the missing child.
The suspect told police she had recently delivered at the hospital and was discharged due to inadequate care, but investigations revealed no record of her claim.
Salifu remains in police custody, while the baby has been placed under hospital care for safekeeping, medical evaluation, and ongoing investigations.
