Insane Person Cured In Court

Prolonged laughter engulfed the Accra Circuit Court on Wednesday when Emmanuel Yaw Asa, a self-styled businessman, was miraculously cured of alleged insanity shortly after the judge ruled on a claim by his lawyer.

Lawyer Kwabena Mensah had told Justice Williwise Kyeremeh: "My Lord, my client is not having HIV, No! Diabetes, no! Hypertension, No! But he is having a mental problem so he can't be questioned. I myself, I have been hit by hypertension on my way to court."

In response, Justice Kyeremeh ordered that the accused person be "sent to the Pantang Hospital for medical examination."

But Yaw Asa, re-arrested on bench warrant after jumping bail, would have none of it as he told the judge: "My Lord, I have just recovered from my insanity."

Finding the development amazing, Justice Kyeremeh said: "If after appearing before me you have been healed of insanity then, I must leave this court and establish a church," provoking uncontrollable laughter from the audience in and outside the courtroom.

Yaw Asa, the butt of the humour, was on his third appearance in court, following his re-arrest after he jumped a ?50m bail.

The accused person was granted bail on his second appearance in court on July 21 this year after being charged with the offence of "defrauding by false pretences".

Earlier, prosecuting DSP Alormetu had told the court that Yaw Asa in May 2003 in Accra, with the intent to defraud convinced one Charles Fofie to part with ?4.3 million, 170,000 CFA, and $3,200, all in cash, after assuring Fofie that he would get him all the necessary documents and air ticket to Australia within a week.

However, till August 8, Fofie could neither lay hands on his travelling documents nor his money that he paid to Yaw Asa, DSP Alormetu said.

The Prosecuting Officer said that instead, the accused started playing hide-and-seek with his victim, who getting fed up made a complaint to the police who arrested Yaw Asa.

According to DSP Alormetu at the Police Station, the accused claimed the visa was ready and that he would produce it the same day by 8:30pm, which deadline he could not meet.

At the end of the high "drama", Justice Kyeremeh remanded Yaw Asa in prison custody to reappear on October 29