A 40-year-old man, Appolos Ndubuisi, has been arrested for allegedly selling a baby boy for N350,000, at Owoahia-Afor community in the Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State.

It was alleged that Ndubuisi who deceived the mother that the baby died during delivery conspired with one Rose Godwin Chinweikpe, who operates a maternity home at Owoahia-Afor community.

The baby boy that was said to be a stillbirth belongs to Ndubuisi’s supposed wife, Deborah Onukaogu.

The Commissioner of Police, Abia State, Mrs Janet Agbede, who briefed Journalists in Umuahia noted that in 2020 Deborah Onukaogu became pregnant for Appolos Ndubuisi, a native of Umuariaga village in Ikwuano council area of the state.

Onukaogu confessed to the Police that Ndubuisi never performed the traditional or Christian marriage rites to make her his legally married wife.

However, Onukaogu was said to have delivered a baby boy on 26 June, 2021, but the suspects, Ndubuisi and Rose, conspired and claimed that the baby was a stillbirth, the CP disclosed.

It was learnt that Deborah became pregnant again for Ndubuisi who asked her to visit Rose’s maternity home for another delivery.

Deborah, who suspected foul play about the alleged stillbirth, lodged a report to the police leading to the arrest of the two suspects.

“The complainant, Mrs. Deborah Onukaogu accepted the story that her baby was a stillbirth in good faith and subsequently became pregnant again to the same man. Ndubuisi suggested that she should go to the same maternity home where she had the alleged stillbirth. Deborah objected but the supposed husband, Appolos Ndubuisi insisted and told her that they would sell the unborn child on delivery.

“This statement heightened Deborah’s suspicion on what must have happened to the previous child which they claimed died on delivery and she reported to the Police. Investigation revealed that the purported stillbirth of the first child was not true.

“The complainant delivered a baby boy on 26th June 2021 but the suspects conspired and sold the child for N350, 000. Investigation also revealed that N300, 000 was given to Ndubuisi, the presumed husband to Deborah while the balance of N50, 000 was taken by Rose Godwin as her delivery expenses.”