Afia Schwarzenegger case re-opens

The legal brouhaha between vociferous television host, Valentina Nana Agyeiwaa aka Afia Schwarzenegger, and her ex-husband has taken another twist as the prosecution has presented a new witness in the case which was originally closed by the court.

An Accra Circuit Court presided over by Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku had closed the prosecution’s case because they were struggling to find their next witness to testify in the trial.

Private legal practitioner, Anthony Namo, who is lead counsel for Afia’s embattled ex-husband, Lawrence Abrokwa, was expected to file his submission of no case for the court to rule on it on October 8, 2018.

But things took a different twist when the prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Maxwell Oppong, presented one Detective Sergeant Simon Amegatse to testify on behalf of the substantive investigator, Sergeant Owusu Boateng.

Owusu Boateng who handled the case, the court heard, has been admitted at the hospital and is said to be in critical health condition and cannot even talk.

It was for this reason that another police officer was made to stand in for the substantive case investigator.

Detective Sergeant Simon Amegatse’s testimony was close to nothing as he virtually just tendered in a medical report and investigation caution statements and other statements taken from Lawrence Abrokwa.

He even told the court that he knew Afia Schwarzenegger’s ex-husband to be the complainant as he had lodged a complaint at the police station, stating that he was having some issues with her.

He stated that he is now getting to know that Lawrence Abrokwa, who had initially lodged a complaint against her wife at the time, is now the accused person in the matter.

Chief Inspector Oppong then informed the court that the prosecution at that point would like close their case as they do not intend to waste the court’s time.

During cross-examination, the defence lawyer, Anthony Namo, pointed out to the police officer that the only thing written in the medical report was what Afia told the doctor that the ex-husband had pulled her braided her and some pulled out.

But Chief Inspector Oppong intervened, saying the witness cannot answer that question as he was not the author of the medical report.

The lawyer then read the medical report to confirm that what it contained was Afia’s account to the doctor that her braided was pulled by Lawrence Abrokwa and some of the braids pulled out.

Mr. Namo then ended the cross-examination and indicated that he will still go ahead to file a submission of no case.

The presiding judge, Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku, subsequently adjourned the matter to October 22, 2018.

Lawrence Abrokwa, Afia Schwarzenegger’s ex-husband of, is before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly recording and distributing her naked video.

He is facing eight charges, including two counts of domestic violence, threat to harm, assault, publication of obscene material, stealing, carrying offensive weapon and causing unlawful damage.

He pleaded not guilty to all the charges and was granted bail by the court.