Francis Nabegmado after he was arrested.
THE PANTANG Psychiatry Hospital has been ordered by a Tema District Court to swiftly furnish it with a comprehensive medical report on the mental stability of Francis Nabegmador, the suspected murderer of the former Head Pastor of the Assemblies of God Church, Rev. David Nabegmador, at Community 4 in Tema at the latter part of last year.
This is to enable the court determine whether the accused person is mentally fit to stand trial following the provisional charge of murder against him.
The medical superintendent is expected to produce the report at the next hearing of the case on February 28, 2019.
Rev. Nabegmador was allegedly stabbed several times in his office on the church premises by his nephew. When he was preparing for Sunday’s service the attacker, dressed in a suit, pounced on him. He was rushed to hospital but unfortunately he succumbed to death before he could be attended to.
When the perpetrator of the crime attempted to escape through a taxi, he was pursued, accosted and handed over to the police by some members of the community.
The prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Jacob Asamani said after its last sitting, the court directed that the accused person be sent to the psychiatric hospital at Pantang for his mental assessment.
He stated that the prosecution complied with the directive and on three occasions sent the accused person to the hospital for an examination.
According to him, the suspect was also examined by the Chief Psychiatrist, Dr Awasi Osei, who after examination ordered for further medical tests, which have been done and the results submitted to the hospital.
He indicated that the medical report of the mental status of the accused person after examination by the psychiatrist was yet to be ready as the hospital had promised to release the report in due course.
However, the presiding magistrate of the court, Mrs. Akosua A. Adjepong, gave February 26, 2016, as deadline for the hospital to issue the report to enable the court proceed with the trial of the accused person.
The court further threatened to summon the medical superintendent over failure to comply with the order.
Meanwhile, the accused person has been remanded in police custody to reappear on February 28, 2019.
From Vincent Kubi, Tema