Farmer jailed 12 months for attempted abortion

A farmer, Osman Mahamudu, has been sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment in hard labour by the Asokwa Magistrate Court in Kumasi for attempting to abort the pregnancy of his young sister-in-law, of which he was responsible.

He is also to pay GH¢1,000 as compensation to the victim, Ama Issaka, in addition to paying all hospital bills. He is to sign a bond of good behaviour after serving his sentence.

The prosecution told the court, presided over by Owusu Achiaaw Korkor, that Osman lived with his wife and the sister-in-law Ama Issaka at Esereso in the Bosomtwe District of the Ashanti Region.

According to the prosecution, Osman had been engaging in sexual intercourse with Ama for the past one year without the knowledge of his wife. He later impregnated Ama and decided to abort the pregnancy by administering a concoction.

This, however, resulted in complications, and Ama had to be hospitalised for three weeks, after which she was discharged. On April 23 this year, Ama reported the matter to the police at Asokwa, which led to the arrest of Osman.