Takoradi Fake Pregnant Woman-Defense To Call 3 Witnesses

Counsel for Josephine Panyin Mensah, the 28 year old woman at the centre of the controversial pregnancy and kidnapping case, has told the journalists that he will call three defense witnesses. The counsel, Fiifi Buckman, disclosed that the witnesses will include the accused person. He also explained that other persons wanted to

testify but said it is not about the number of witnesses that corroborate a case that matters, but the quality of the witnesses. Lawyer Fiifi Buckman was speaking to journalists in an interview after proceedings on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Takoradi Circuit Court ‘A’ has ordered the counsel for the accused person to file their witness’

statements. The court said the filling should be done by the next adjourned date of the June 7, 2022. The move, according to the Court, formed part of the Case Management Conference (CMC) to allow the accused to open her defence. It would be recalled that at the last sitting, the court overruled a submission of no case by

the lawyer, of the accused, Fiifi Buckman, and ordered the accused to open her defence. This was after eight prosecution witnesses have testified in the case. In his submission of no case, counsel for the accused 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, however, thought otherwise and indicated that the prosecution has been able to establish that the accused was not kidnapped neither was she pregnant. The court indicated that the prosecution has been able to furnish the court with all the requisite documents to support the charges of publication of false news and deceit of public officer, against the accused.

The court, therefore, indicated that it was incumbent on the accused person to prove that indeed she was pregnant, by opening her defence. When the case was called yesterday, the judge, His Honour Michael Ampadu said the case is of national interest and that both parties should assist in expediting action on it. He then adjourned the case to June 7, 2022.