Currently undergoing interrogation at the Festac Police Station over the matter, Mr Barnney is alleged to have sold the youngster known as Emmanuel to a 43-year-old woman called Ekah Richard. Also undergoing interrogation with Mr Barnney are one Pastor Samuel Osavitu and an orphanage worker Alhaji Sunkanmi Adamu, said to be accomplices in the crime.
Apparently, Mr Barnney’s Nigerian wife Ijeoma Ndoku raised the alarm over his plan to sell their son and flee to Ghana last month. Subsequently, the police arrested Mr Barnney at Mile 2 on February 12 and recovered the baby from Ms Richard.
Ijeoma said: “For over three months, he has been saying he does not have money to take care of me and my baby but he usually has money to buy drinks and cigarettes. He could not even bring out N150 for me to buy pampers for our baby.
"Even when I wanted to take the baby to the hospital, I usually went and borrowed money and at other times, our neighbours will give me money to cater for the baby. He used to get drunk and vomit and when I complained, he would bring out iron rod and hit it on my head."
Pointing out that she did know his plan was to sell their baby, Ijeoma said her husband used the pretext that he was taking Emmanuel to see his aunt. According to Ijeoma, she learnt of Mr Barnney’s plan to sell their son from his boss.
Mr Barnney, 32, who admitted to have received N250,000 from Ms Richard through Alhaji Adamu, added, however, that the money was given to him to start a business. He denied selling the baby, claiming that his wife abandoned the child, pointing out that since he could not cater for the boy alone, he took him to an orphanage.
Ms Richard, who claimed that she adopted the child, said she never knew the adoption process was illegal. She added that she was advised by the pastor to adopt a child so that God can open her womb.
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