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Crime & Punishment of Thursday, 11 February 2010

Source: GNA

Court asks suspect to undergo psychiatric examination

Hohoe, Feb. 11, GNA - Augustine Akpla Aduful, a farmer of Lolobi-Kuma= si near Hohoe, has been ordered by a Hohoe Circuit court to undergo psychiat= ric examination for his weird behaviour and penchant for spitting. Aduful pleaded not guilty to threat of death, causing damage and offensi= ve conduct. Mr. Samuel Gbedemah, Police Chief Inspector, prosecuting told the court presided over by Mr. Edward Apenkwa that the suspect and the complainant,=

Geoffrey Aduful are relatives.

He said in September last year, two kegs of palm-wine and two bottles of akpeteshie gin got missing from Geoffrey's room and the empty containers were later found in the suspect's possession. Mr. Gbedemah said suspect got offended and threatened to kill Geoffrey=

for enquiring about the missing drinks.

He said on September 13, without any provocation, Aduful chased Geoffrey=

and his son Godwin with a cutlass threatening to kill them. The accused later vented his anger on a lamp holder, fluorescent light= s and a door valued at GH 112. He also threatened to slash Geoffrey and his=

son but was overpowered by people and sent to the Gbi-Bla police station. Mr Gbedemah said while in police custody, Aduful kept banging violently on the cell door and damaged it and spat on the faces of policemen who tried= to calm him down. Mr Apenkwa said the behaviour of the suspect was strange and therefore ordered him to undergo psychiatric examination to determine his mental state.