Abortion - Medical Officer in court

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) - Dr Samuel Roberts, 69, proprietor of Dr Roberts Clinic on Friday appeared before a Kumasi Circuit Tribunal charged with aiding and abetting in terminating the pregnancy of Akua Akyaa Hagan, a 20 year-old seamstress.

In the dock with Dr Roberts were Agnes Ogoe, 20 and Cecilia Dare, 23, both record keepers at the clinic.

They all pleaded not guilty and were granted bail in the sum of six million cedis with one surety each to re-appear on September 7.

Prosecuting Police Chief Inspector Lucy Taylor told the tribunal, chaired by Mr. Justice Ernest Yao Obimpe, that but for the swift intervention of the police, Akua Hagan would have met her untimely death on August 30 after Ogoe and Dare had aborted her four-month-old pregnancy.

When the police got to the scene at Dr Robert's Clinic at Amakom Roundabout in Kumasi, at about 17:40 hours, Akua Hagan had regained consciousness but was too weak to walk.

She was bleeding profusely with her dress soaked in blood and the police had to rush her to Kumasi South Polyclinic at Kyirapatre, where a medical officer attended to her.

The prosecution said during investigations, it came to light that Ogoe and Dare, who have no medical background, terminated the pregnancy.

Chief Inspector Taylor said Dare admitted terminating Akua’s pregnancy and that he and the other attendant have been trained by Dr Roberts.

According to the prosecution, the two attendants claimed they give the money they collect to Dr Roberts and that they have been doing the job for a long time. They charged Akua Hagan 170,000 cedis.

The Prosecution tendered a number of instruments allegedly used in the operation as exhibits.