A 24 year-old unemployed woman, Ugochi Ugbawu, who allegedly stole an 11 month-old boy, on Thursday, appeared before a Children, Sexual and Gender-based Violence Court in Awka, Anambra.

The suspect, an indigene of Ebonyi, was arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy, child stealing and forceful separation of the baby from his family.

The Prosecutor, Insp Chinyere Okechukwu, told the court that the defendant and others now at large committed the offences on Jan. 16 at Okpoko in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra.

Okechukwu said that the offences contravened Sections 495(a) and 321 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 36, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria, 1991, as amended and Section 15(1) of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law, 2017.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against her.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs U.E. Onochie, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N3 million, with a surety in like sum.

Onochie adjourned the case till May 28 for hearing. (NAN)