“I saw my wife’s physical belly from the first month to the tenth month when we moved from our residence in Colombia, a suburb of Takoradi, to live with her mother at the Old Johnsaba road”.
This is according to the husband of Josephine Payin Simons, the woman at the center of the Western Region‘s false pregnancy and abduction case.
Michael Simons stated these remarks during cross-examination by the accused’s main attorney, Fiifi Buckman, at Takoradi Circuit Court A.
The whole trial started on Thursday with the cross-examination of two prosecution witnesses: Michael Simons and the accused’s mother, Agnes Essel.
When the husband was summoned, he was asked how long he had been with the wife before she became pregnant, and he said, “two and a half years.”
The lawyer, Philip Fiifi Buckman, then inquired whether he had ever seen the wife naked during her pregnancy, to which he said yes.
“I saw my wife naked while pregnant between five and six months and even to the tenth month when she moved to join the mother at old John Sarbah road to await her safe delivery”.
When he adduced evidence in Chief for the trial, the husband supplied further answers to queries presented by Chief Superintendent Emmanuel Basantale, the prosecution.
Afterwards, the lead counsel queried the witness: “did you suspect or know your wife to be pregnant, did you see her physical tummy without cloth, and for how long did you stay with her as a wife”.
During re-examination, the Prosecutor attempted to raise questions that appeared to have been answered, but was quickly interrupted by the lead Counsel, who stated, “these questions don’t pass for re-examination: this process is either to clear ambiguity or new and factual matters have come to play.”
Judge Micheal Kojo Ampadu sustained the objection, noting that all relevant material was on file.
Agnes Essel, the accused’s mother, testified before the court as the second witness, admitting that Josephine Simons was her biological daughter and that she was definitely pregnant.
She said that even though she traveled to Axim, she was unable to remain with her daughter at the hospital.
Madam Essel added that “she could not speak, but only signed and she was in handcuffs at Axim and after our transfer to Effia Nkwanta Hospital, I was not allowed to stay with her”.
The lead counsel questioned what transpired at the Police Station and the concerns that arose as a result of that contact.
Madam Agnes Essel answered: “I was asked to agree with what the medics have said that my daughter was not pregnant, but I couldn’t do that, so I was locked up for a day”.
Meanwhile, throughout the hearing, Prosecutor Basantale did not conduct any examinations.
The court rescheduled the case until January 13 to enable more witnesses to testify.
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SOURCE: myjoyonline
