A woman identified as Emafya has narrowly escaped lynching after being accused of attempting to kidnap a one-and-a-half-year-old girl at Mankessim in the Central region.
The incident occurred when the baby was left in the care of her younger brother, identified as Kojo Junior, who was playing nearby.
According to Madam Azuma Alhassan, the grandmother of the child, “Junior left the child with Emafya while he went to retrieve a ball.
Upon his return, both Emafya and the baby were nowhere to be found.”
A search party was quickly organized, and a good Samaritan eventually spotted Emafya carrying the baby toward the Takoradi station.
Eyewitness Maame Ama, who was selling goods nearby, initially saw Emafya with the child but did not suspect any wrongdoing until the search intensified.
“I saw her carrying the baby, but because I know her around the house, I didn’t think of anything bad. When we couldn’t find them during the search, I realized she was running away with the child and chased her to the Takoradi station,” Maame Ama recounted.
In her defence, Emafya indicated that she did not intend to steal the child.
“I didn’t steal the child. I saw her at the back of the building, felt pity, and bought her a Kalypo. I was just trying to buy her food when her family and others accused me of theft. I also have children—why would I steal someone else’s child for rituals?” Emafya explained.
Emafya’s account, however, was met with scepticism by the baby’s family and the community, who accused her of attempting to kidnap the child.
The situation became increasingly tense, with some community members calling for Emafya to be lynched.
Fortunately, she was able to escape the angry mob and is currently being held by the authorities.