…Court Declares Woman Who is On The Run Wanted
…. Jails Father one Other Surety Six Month for Failing to Produce Her
An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced 37-year-old woman, Deborah Ayeni, to 14 years imprisonment in absentia for child stealing and declared her wanted as fugitive on the run.
Justice Lekan Olatawura handed down sentence when convict’s sureties failed to produce her in court after prosecution had called four witnesses during trial.
Olatawura also ordered court registrar to forward judgment and letter to Controller General of Customs, Nigeria Police and media declaring Ayeni fugitive on the run and for her apprehension.
He ordered that sentence should commence immediately when Ayeni is apprehended.
The judge also imposed penalty of six months imprisonment on two sureties, which included Ayeni’s father, Babatope Ebenezer Ayeni, in line with Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Ekiti State, 2014 (as Amended), for failing to produce Ayeni and to pay required recognisance surety fees.
He had earlier revoked bail granted to convict for failing to appear in court to answer charge against her.
The convict had, on her first arraignment on September 1, 2025, pleaded not guilty to one-count charge of child stealing preferred against her.
The prosecutor, Ibironke Odetola, said convict, on August 4, 2025, in Ado-Ekiti, with intent to deprive Mustapher Aliu and his wife, Falmata, of their newborn baby in their care, did steal and unlawfully take baby away.
She said convict was granted bail upon her arrest and detention at Correctional Centre in Ado-Ekiti in sum of N2 million and two sureties each in like sum.
Odetola said prosecution presented four witnesses and was in process of presenting third witness when Ayeni told her counsel, Stephen Ademuagun, that she was kidnapped along road and subsequently failed to appear in court.
She said Ayeni’s father, as one of sureties, appeared once for her and told court that daughter was at home when questioned on her whereabouts by trial judge.
Giving more details, prosecutor said convict claimed to have lost pregnancy around May 2025 and, in attempt to cover up and keep her marriage, lied to her husband who is based abroad, that she was about to deliver baby.
“She invited her husband to come back to Nigeria for her delivery and deceived him with clothes wrapped around her stomach to feign existence of pregnancy.
“She thereafter went to a hospital in Okeyinmi area of Ado-Ekiti and stole said baby from complainants.
“She then gave baby to a midwife for care after lying to her husband that she had buried placenta upon questioning.
“It was midwife who noticed anomalies in her activities that informed police, and she was promptly arrested,” she said.
Odetola confirmed that child in question was later rescued alive by police, adding that offence upon which Ayeni was convicted was contrary to Section 292 of Criminal Law of Ekiti, 2021.
