Judge orders police to take accused person for treatment

Cape Coast, Mar. 11, GNA- Mr Asiedu-Badu, a judge at the circuit court in Cape Coast, on Monday ordered the prosecution to send a man, who had been taken ill while in custody, to the hospital for medical attention. He therefore refused to heed to appeals by the prosecution to discharge the accused, Kojo Atta, who was carried into the court room, to stand trial for allegedly stealing a goat, "for fear that he might die". Making the order, Mr Asiedu-Badu observed that "It would be very irresponsible on my part to discharge the accused person in this state, without ensuring that the police sent him to the hospital". The case for the prosecution was that Atta, stole the goat at Abakrampa on January 15 this year, and was arrested in the process. Atta, who pleaded not guilty, had been on remand at the Ankaful prisons pending his trial.

At the same court, a 50-year old fisherman, Kwesi Donkor, who allegedly defiled a 14-year old class six pupil at Ankaful in the Mfantsiman district, was granted GH A25,000 bail. Donkor, who pleaded not guilty, is to re-appear on Friday, March 14. Chief inspector Francis Ockom told the court that on September 11, 2006, the accused allegedly lured the victim, who had been sent on an errand, to his room and forcibly had sex with her. He said the girl ran home and informed her parents, who reported it to the police and Donkor was arrested and charged before the Saltpond court.