A 36-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly attempting to sell his ten-year-old son for GHC60,000 at Aiyinasi in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region.

The man, Peter Aidoo, popularly known as Kobby, claimed he did not have money to take care of his family hence forced him to sell his own son for survival.

Confirming the incident to GhanaWeb's Western Regional Correspondent, the Ellembelle District Police Commander, Superintendent of Police (SOP), Thomas Bayor said the police gathered intelligence that a man was offering his ten-year-old son for sale over the weekend.

He said the police used one Assemblyman from Awiebo near Aiyinasi as an undercover.

Speaking to the Assemblyman, Hon. Alex Mahama said he had a tip-off from a friend who said the suspect was ready to sell his son for financial breakthrough.

According to him, on Saturday, August 4, 2018, evening he quickly called the suspect to arrange for a meeting where they agreed and met in a certain hotel, Melvina Lodge hotel within the area.

He revealed that the father came with his friend and with the victim and the father demanded GHC100,000 but finally agreed to pay GHC60,000.

"They priced the boy GHC100,000 but negotiated and I decided to give them GHC60,000 and they agreed and all this while I had already made arrangement for the police intervention in the hotel", he revealed.

Police Accounts

The District Police Commander, Superintendent of Police (SOP), Thomas Bayor said on Sunday, August 5 at around 11am the father and his friend, Samuel Aidoo whose age is 21 met the Assemblyman in the hotel for the sale and said already the police were monitoring the event.

He added that the two suspects and the Assemblyman negotiated the price and settled on GHc60,000.

"Unknown to the suspects, the 'buyer' had informed the police about the transaction and the police have been hidden for the them", he said.

"My boys quickly rushed into the hotel room and arrested them", he emphasized.

He disclosed that the two suspects come from Agona Swedru but currently living in Samenye in the Jomoro Municipality.

He also added that the victim whose name is (withheld) has since been with the police and trying to reach his mother at Samenye.

Mr. Bayor had rubbished rumours going round the District that the Assemblyman deals with human trafficking and cautioned those saying it to desist from it and therefore commended the Assemblyman for assisting the police in this situation.

He also urged the general public to assist the police to uproot criminals and bad people in the District.

He confirmed that the two suspects, Peter Aidoo and Samuel Aidoo, are in the grips of the police at Esiama Police Station assisting the police in investigations.