Court orders psychiatric hospital to keep woman who stabbed mother over ‘spiritual marriage’

An Adentan Circuit Court has ordered the Pantang Psychiatric Hospital not to release a 24-year-old unemployed woman who stabbed her mother whom she claimed has married her in the spiritual realm, until further notice.

The order came after Prosecution led by Superintendent of Police Patience Mario submitted that the accused mother had reported to the media that the accused was not being treated well and she needed more care.

Supt. Mario therefore prayed the court to make orders so the accused would be sent to Pantang Hospital for more care.

The Court presided over by Mrs Sedinam Awo Balokah granted the prosecution’s request and ordered that the accused should be sent to Pantang Hospital for admission.

It further ordered that the accused should not be released to any one until it “says so”.

The matter has been adjourned to January 31.

The accused, name withheld, stabbed her 46-year-old single mother in the hand, neck and back because “her mother has been having sex with her.”

Not satisfied, the accused stabbed the mother until the kitchen knife she was using broke and got stuck in her (mother’s) neck.

It was the shouts of the victim, which attracted people to the scene to rescue her. The victim was rushed to the Abokobi Health Centre and later to the 37 Military Hospital.

Charged with causing unlawful harm, the accused has pleaded guilty.

The Court had convicted the accused on her own plea, remanded her and deferred her sentence.

It further directed that a psychiatric examination should be conducted on the accused.

The GNA has gathered that the accused was on hard drugs hence an order for the psychiatric examination.

The psychiatric examination report will enable the Court to hand down its sentence.

Prosecution narrated that the complainant is a businessman residing at Abladjei, near Abokobi.

She said the victim is a trader residing at Kokrobite and accused was unemployed residing with the victim.

According to prosecution, the accused has been residing with the victim since her infancy together with her brother.

The victim has been a single mother who had taken care of the accused and her brother after their father abandoned them.

Prosecution said the victim later had a boyfriend who resided at Abokobi.

Supt Mario said within the month of October, this year, the victim visited her boyfriend and she brought along the accused.

On their arrival, they met the absence of the victim’s boyfriend because he had travelled to Takoradi in the Western Region.

Prosecution said on October 27, this year, a misunderstanding ensued between the victim and the accused.

The accused alleged that the victim has married her spiritually and was having sex with her.

Prosecution said the accused then took a small knife on the blind side of the victim and stabbed her hand, neck and back severally.

The accused for the second time stabbed her mother in the neck from her back and the kitchen knife got broken and stuck.

Prosecution said the victim shouted for help and she was rescued by the complainant and co-tenants in the house.

The victim was rushed to the Abokobi health Centre for first aid and later transferred to the 37 Military Hospital where she received treatment.

The Prosecution said the accused was arrested by the Abokobi Police and handed over to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit.

The accused was cautioned, the crime scene was visited and part of the broken knife was retrieved.

The victim, has since been discharged.

Source: GNA