A 28-year-old taxi driver of Twifu-Kyerenkum in the Twifu-Praso District of the Central Region has been sentenced to 30 months imprisonment by the Dunkwa-On-Offin Circuit Court for child-stealing.

Benjamin Yaw Adu, the driver, pleaded guilty to stealing his 12-year old nephew, Oko Larbie.

Presenting the facts of the case to the court presided over by Justice Kofi Essel-Mensah, Chief Inspector Philip Amoah-Gamiah, said Adu and his nephew stay with their parents in the same village. According to Chief InspectorGamiah, Adu, on March 12, travelled to Dunkwa with Oko with the sole aim of selling him.

Chief Inspector Gamiah said Adu had earlier negotiated with one witness in the case, Mr. Kofi Siaw, who feigned interest and the two settled on a purchase price of ?60 million.

Chief Inspector Gamiah said on March 14, Adu told the boy that his father had sent him some money and he should therefore accompany him to Twifu-Praso to collect it.

The prosecutor said Adu hired a taxi cab for the journey and on their way he advised the driver to drive to Dunkwa, where the prospective buyer, Mr. Kofi-Siaw, was waiting.

In the course of the transaction for final payment, the police who had been alerted closed in on them and arrested Adu.

The prosecutor therefore pleaded with the court to take a serious view of the offence which was becoming rampant in the area.

When interrogated in court, Adu said he took the decision to sell his nephew because he wanted to save the family from financial crisis.

Passing judgement, Justice Essel-Mensah said he was convicting Adu on his own plea and that he was touched by the plea for leniency from the family members and therefore sentenced Adu to 30 months imprisonment.