Trial of fake Takoradi pregnant, kidnapped woman to commence in January 2022

Josephine Panyin Mensah charged with two counts of deceiving a public officer

Takoradi Harbour Circuit Court concludes case management in fake pregnancy trial

Josephine Panyin Mensah granted bail

A Takoradi Habour Circuit Court A has set January 6, 2022, for the trial of Josephine Panyin Mensah who has been accused of faking a pregnancy and staging her kidnap.

The suspect has been charged with two counts of deceiving a public officer contrary to section 251 (B) of the Criminal Offences Act and publication of false news with intent to cause fear and panic contrary to section 208 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act.

The trial date was set by the court presided by his worship Michael Kwodjoe Ampadu after the completion of the case management process on Tuesday, December 14, 2021.

Counsel for the defendant, Philip Fiifi Buckman, expressed dissatisfaction with the date but said he will be ready to defend his client.

“We are now set for the hearing of the case. The court has fixed the 6th of January and to expedite the trial. The concession is that we come every week for the case to be heard. We are ready, and we have received all the documents the prosecution will rely on. We will also get ready to come and start the case. Even though that date is not convenient, we have no option,” he told Citi News.

News about the alleged disappearance of Josephine Panyin Mensah went viral in September this year.

She was later found at Axim, miles away from Takoradi where she was reported missing. She was spotted without a supposed nine-month-old pregnancy she went missing with.

Claims that she delivered on the same day she was allegedly kidnapped with the baby taken by her supposed kidnappers was established by the police to be untrue through medical examination.

The police established through its investigations that she was not pregnant in the first place.

She is currently on bail pending the outcome of the trial.