The Takoradi Harbor Circuit Court has ordered the defence lawyers in the fake Kidnapping and pregnancy case to file their witness statements ahead of the opening of their defence.
The accused person Josephine Payin Mensah is facing charges of deceiving a public officer contrary to section 251b of the act and publication of the criminal offence of false news.
Judge Michael Kojo Ampedu who gave the order set June 7th for the opening of the accused person’s defence.
Counsel for the accused Lawyer Philip Fiifi Buckman said they are still organizing their witnesses and working on having credible witnesses by the next sitting.
He explained that though several people are willing to testify, it looks like all appear to have the same testimony.
According to him, it is not the number of witnesses that will determine whether one has a good case or not but the quality of witnesses.
Accused Josephine Panyin Mensah was expected to, for the first time, narrate her side of the case of fake kidnapping and pregnancy to the Justice Michael Ampadu court on Thursday, May 19.
This was after the court had finished hearing the testimonies of eight witnesses of the prosecution. Unfortunately, when the case was called, Counsel Buckman had not filed their witness statement.
The presiding Judge, Micheal Ampadu said, ” given the fact that the case has gained national interest, there was a need for things to be done orderly and expeditiously”.
Speaking to the media after the sitting Lawyer Buckman noted that his client is doing well, just that she is still under the pressure of the albatross around her neck. But we are trusting that we will expedite this trial and see where the axe will fall.
Fifii Buckman maintained that his client is innocent of all charges against her, stressing “that gave me the conviction to stand by her in defence from the beginning”.
-Circuit Court
