Head Porter Receives 5-Year Jail Term for Involvement in Child Sacrifice Ritual
An Accra Circuit Court has handed down a 60-month prison sentence to a 29-year-old head porter who was found guilty of presenting a five-year-old girl for a money ritual in Pokuase, Accra.
The convict, identified as Isaac Gabianu, had abducted the young victim from a public toilet in Accra and offered her to a herbalist in exchange for financial sacrifices.
However, the herbalist, upon realizing the gravity of the situation, promptly reported Gabianu and handed over both the perpetrator and the child to the police.
Initially pleading not guilty to the charge of child stealing, Gabianu later failed to convince the court of his innocence. Presided over by Mrs. Christina Cann, the court deemed the prosecution successful in proving the accused’s guilt and consequently delivered a stringent sentence to serve as a deterrent.
During his plea for mitigation, Gabianu, who represented himself in court, maintained his innocence, stating, “I cannot confess to something I haven’t done.”
According to the prosecution led by Superintendent of Police Agnes Boafo, the incident unfolded on April 3, 2023, around 7:30 pm. The complainant, Patricia Asamoah, a trader residing in Mallam, Accra, visited the Railway Police Station to report her missing daughter.
Asamoah explained that while she was attending to her needs at a public toilet in Kantamanto Market, she had instructed her five-year-old daughter to wait outside. However, upon her return, the child was nowhere to be found.
The following day, at approximately 12:30 am, the Police in Pokuase received information about Gabianu’s arrest in connection with a money ritual. The herbalist who had apprehended him brought Gabianu and the young victim to the police.
The herbalist revealed that Gabianu had delivered the child to him with the intention of sacrificing her for financial gain.
During the investigation, Gabianu confessed to the crime in his caution statement, further corroborating the prosecution’s case against him.
