Unemployed changes plea in abortion case

Asamankese, Feb. 05, GNA - Denis Annor, unemployed, who on first appearance before the Asamankese Circuit Court on a charge of intentionally and unlawfully causing abortion on his 19-year-old unemployed lover pleaded guilty, now says he is not guilty. He changed his plea on his second appearance and was granted GHC 2,000 bail with a surety to re-appear on March 01 when the court will go into the merits of the case.

When Annor entered to dock, he raised his hand and when the Judge, Mr Emmanuel Siameh, asked him what he had to tell the court, the accused said the woman he was accused of aborting her pregnancy visited him in prison custody. He said the woman informed him that she was five months pregnant and so he could not have caused any abortion for her. The Judge then granted him bail, but asked the prosecutor, Police Inspector Francis Cobbina, why the woman, Bridget Dwamena, was not jointly charged with Annor.

The prosecution case was that on August 22 last year, the elder sister of Bridget heard her grooming in the night and when she was asked what was ailing her; Bridget said she was bleeding from her sex organ and was then rushed to Kade Government Hospital. Bridget later confessed that she was pregnant and when she informed Annor, who was responsible for it, he gave her four tablets of a drug to swallow to have the pregnancy terminated and she obliged. Bridget's sister then informed Annor about the revelation but he absconded from Abodom and went to Accra.

A report was made to the police and a medical form was issued for a doctor's report on Bridget's condition. On January 13 this year, when Bridget was on a visit to Accra, Annor managed to trace her to her house near Madina where he was arrested.