Detectives investigating the “miracle baby” child trafficking ring have taken a second child into care following raids on addresses across the country, it was confirmed today.
Police said the infant is being cared for by social services after the co-ordinated operations by Scotland Yard’s child abuse unit.
Five premises connected to self-styled archbishop Gilbert Deya in South London, Birmingham, Manchester and Scotland were searched on December 10 as part of ongoing inquiries into allegations of child theft.
Deya has repeatedly claimed he has helped women to become pregnant through divine intervention, but African authorities allege the children are stolen to order from hospitals and poor families.
Miriam Nyeko, 40, of Canning Town, London, was this week was cleared of child theft by a Kenyan court after it emerged she may have been drugged after arriving in the country for the delivery of her “miracle” child.
It is alleged that Mrs Nyeko, who attended the Gilbert Deya Ministry in Peckham, was conned into thinking she was pregnant and later handed a child whilst heavily disorientated following her supposed “labour“.
A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: “The raids took place at five addresses to ensure the welfare of a number of children.
“Officers were assisted by social services staff and one child was taken into care as a result. No arrests were made.”
A child had previously been taken into care after inquiries by social workers revealed its DNA did not match that of either of its parents.
Kenyan police still hope to interview Deya and the Charity Commission has launched a formal investigation into his organisation.
Pastor Barry Cummings, of the Gilbert Deya Ministry, said in a statement on the organisation’s website: “It is a serious matter to accuse Archbishop Gilbert Deya as a child trafficker and it is foolishness to say such against a servant of God.
“He is not a child trafficker, what I know is that he is a man of God.”
Deya’s wife Mary was today due to appear in court in Kenya to face four counts of child theft.