The 27-year-old defendant Josephine Panyin Mensah claims—contrary to the reports of medical professionals—that she was pregnant while being held captive and "faking" her pregnancy.
She began her defence at this point at Takoradi Circuit Court A.
When examined after her rescue in Axim on September 25, 2021, two doctors from the eight prosecution witnesses earlier stated that Josephine was never pregnant.
Before the court gave its order, the accused's attorney, Mr. Fiifi Buckman, claimed that the prosecution had failed to make a strong enough case against the accused to allow her to present a defence.
But presiding judge Michael Ampadu disagreed, and he gave the accused the go-ahead to begin her defence.
The accuser stated that she became pregnant in January 2021 and that she was already pregnant when she was abducted.
"Despite having miscarriages, I managed to carry this pregnancy to term.
According to the police, I did not purchase any silicone belly "She continued, noting that she was still wed to Michael Simons and that the two of them shared a kid who would be four in September.
The accused denied claims that she and her spouse ever misunderstood one other when she became pregnant.
She further disclosed that every Thursday she went to the Takoradi hospital for prenatal treatment.
Inspector Robert Yawson, the prosecution, stated that records from the Takoradi hospital showed that the accused's initial medical visits on January 12, 2021, June 1, 2021, and June 15, 2021 were due to hazy eyesight rather than pregnancy.
The case has been postponed until July 7, 2022, so that the cross-examination can go on.
Josephine Panyin Mensah is in court on two charges of publishing false news with the aim to induce fear and panic in violation of section 208 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act and misleading a public official in violation of section 251 (B) of the Criminal Offences Act.