Daniel Barnney, a Liberian, has been arrested for allegedly selling his son Emmanuel, to a 43-year-old woman, Ekah Richard, for N250,000. Barnney, one Pastor Samuel Osavitu and a worker at an orphanage, Alhaji Sunkanmi Adamu, are being quizzed at Festac Police Station over the matter.
Barnney’s Nigerian wife Ijeoma Ndoku raised the alarm over his plan to sell their son and flee to Ghana last month. The police arrested Barnney at Mile 2 on February 12 and recovered the baby from Richard. Ndoku said she learnt of Barnney’s plan to sell their son from his boss.
Barnney, 32, who admitted to have received N250,000 from Richard through Adamu, said the money was given to him to start a business. He denied selling the baby. He said since he could not cater for the boy alone, he took him to an orphanage
Richard, who claimed that she adopted the child, said she never knew the adoption process was illegal. She said she was advised by the pastor to adopt a child so that God can open her womb. But Pastor Osavitu, who denied conspiring with others to steal the baby, said he was only trying to help Richard and safe the child’s life.
