Adentan Circuit Court Convicts Togolese Mason for Abducting Four-Year-Old Boy from Volta Region

The Adentan Circuit Court has convicted David Kpandoyo, a 25-year-old mason and Togolese national, after he pleaded guilty to stealing a four-year-old boy from Kpedze in the Volta Region. Kpandoyo was apprehended in Accra after transporting the child nearly 200 kilometers away from his home. The court accepted his guilty plea following a swift investigation into the child’s disappearance, which had triggered an urgent search by family and local authorities.

According to the prosecution, the victim was first reported missing on July 1, 2026, by his mother, Ms. Patience Ablordefey Afefa, and a local resident, Mr. Bismark Gbago. Investigations revealed that Kpandoyo encountered the child at a drinking spot in Kpedze. The convict claimed that he was heavily intoxicated at the time and that the child had approached him. He reportedly gave the boy some money before deciding to take him along to his residence in the New Legon area of Accra, bypassing any attempt to find the child's guardians.

The case reached a turning point when the boy was found wandering in Accra on July 3, 2026. When questioned by police and community members, Kpandoyo initially attempted to deceive authorities by claiming the child was his son. However, he failed to provide any proof of parentage or explain the child's presence in the capital. Upon further interrogation, Kpandoyo confessed to the crime, and the child's mother was subsequently notified to identify her son and confirm she had no prior connection to the mason.

While Kpandoyo admitted to the charges and cited his state of intoxication as a factor, the court proceeded with the conviction based on his voluntary admission of child stealing. The case has been adjourned to July 14, 2026, for sentencing. This incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding child safety and the need for vigilance in community spaces to prevent child trafficking and abduction across regional borders.