Sekondi court grants ‘kidnapped pregnant woman’ GH¢50,000 bail
A Sekondi Circuit Court, presided over by Justice Michael Cudjoe Ampadu, has granted bail in the sum of GH¢50,000 with two sureties one to be justified, to Josephine Panyin Mensah Simon, the alleged pregnant and kidnapped woman in Takoradi.
She would reappear in court on Thursday October 14, 2021, on charges of deceiving public officers and making false publication about pregnancy and kidnapping.
Josephine who was an alleged victim of kidnapping is now facing trial for misdemeanour and represented in court by five lawyers on pro bono service with lead counsel being Lawyer Fifi Buckman.
All five lawyers prayed the court to grant the accused bail.
They argued that nobody was above the law and her detention for the past seven days was an affront on her rights.
They added; “we cannot continue to retain her without recourse to the law and due process…we don’t even know the circumstances under which she spoke or made the confession”.
“Nobody knows the truth…we will like to access her for evidence…we cannot be carried by sentiment, but follow the law,” the lawyers said.
The lead Counsel, Lawyer Fifi Buckman continued that “only when evidence is taken that the truth maybe established…she has not spoken to her lawyers yet and that she should be made available to have interaction with her lawyers, who would collect evidence to enable the case to commence.
“We believe that Justice must work in the country…and for the court to ensure substantial Justice, the bail is very much important to help in her human rights as well as enable her have access to counsel to also speak with them,” the lead counsel added.
Lawyer Fifi Buckman therefore prayed the court to grant her bail and promised that she would be made available anytime the case was called.
Meanwhile, Prosecuting Police Superintendent Emmanuel Basintele, told the court that Josephine gave the confession in front of medical personnel and also in the presence of her mother at the Effia Nkwanta Hospital, where she was undergoing treatment and not under any duress to do so.
The Prosecutor added, “She was also informed of her constitutional rights to have a counsel…We exerted whatever we wanted from her not under duress”.
He said, “With the issue of bail, we leave it to you… because we know the court have the discretion…if the court is minded to grant bail…terms and conditions should compel the accused to come to court for the matter to be expeditiously handled”.
Justice Micheal Cudjoe Ampadu, after listening to the parties, granted the bail, which would enable the accused to rest from her trauma and her lawyers to aid in proper preparation for October 14.
Josephine Simons went missing on September 16, 2021, carrying a “pregnancy” but was found after six days without the pregnancy which gained national attention and interest, with many twists and turns emanating from her kidnapped and faking of the pregnancy.
Source: GNA