Court orders psychiatric examination of alleged murderer

Dormaa-Ahenkro (B/A), March 6, GNA - A circuit court at Berekum has ordered that a 22-year-old epileptic, Alhassan Hawa, who allegedly murdered her three-month old baby, be sent to the psychiatric hospital for examination.

Hawa allegedly murdered her baby at Mehame in the Dormaa District because "he was fond of crying", according to her.

Chief Superintendent Charles Samuel Moses Brew Jnr., Dormaa District Police Commander, told the Ghana News Agency at Dormaa-Ahenkro that the incident occurred on February 27 this year.

He said Hawa's father, Alhassan Mamprusi, who, on returning from the farm detected the absence of the baby, questioned her about it but she could not give any tangible explanation.

When the father put pressure on Hawa the next day, she led him to a spot in a nearby bush where the body of the baby was found buried with his throat slit, Chief Superintendent Brew added.

Hawa was handed over to the police and the body of the baby deposited at the Presbyterian Hospital at Dormaa-Ahenkro for autopsy. When questioned why she killed her baby, Hawa replied that the son used to cry too much and that disturbed her a lot, hence her action. She was arraigned before the Berekum Circuit Court on March 1 and was remanded for two weeks.

The presiding judge, Mr Justice Asaase, ordered that she should be sent to the Psychiatric Hospital for further examination.