JOSEPHINE PANYIN Mensah, the 27-year-old woman at the centre of the controversial pregnancy and kidnapping claims in Takoradi, has for the first time narrated her side of the story to the court.
This follows an order by the Takoradi Circuit Court ‘A’ for the accused to open her defence, after eight prosecution witnesses have testified in the case.
Prior to the court’s order, counsel for the accused, Fiifi Buckman, in his submission of no case, argued that the prosecution has not been able to establish a prima facie case against his client for her to open her defence.
The court, presided over by His Honour Michael Ampadu, however, ordered the accused to open her defence.
Testifying in the case at court Tuesday during cross-examination, the accused insisted that she was pregnant before she was kidnapped, and that she got pregnant in January 2021.
She indicated that even though she had series of miscarriages after giving birth to her first child, she did not lose the last pregnancy.
She told the court that she is still married to her husband, Michael Simons, and that they both have a son who will be four years in September this year.
She denied the assertion that there was misunderstanding between her and the husband any time she had miscarriage.
She also told the court that it was not true that she purchased a silicone belly at GH¢30 cedis at the Takoradi Market Circle to deceive her husband and mother as has been alleged by the police.
She also revealed that she was attending antenatal care at the Takoradi Hospital every Thursday.
This was after the prosecutor, Inspector Robert Yawson, who presented documents before the court from the Takoradi Hospital, indicated that the accused’s first visits to the hospital on January 12, 2021; June 1, 2021; and June 15, 2021 was because she reported of having blurred vision, but not that she was pregnant.
The case has been adjourned to July 7, 2022, for the continuation of the cross-examination.
Josephine Panyin Mensah is in court on two counts of deceiving a public officer contrary to section 251 (B) of the Criminal Offences Act and publication of false news with intent to cause fear and panic contrary to section 208 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act.
FROM Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi