Court suspends jail-term of pregnant student

Ho, Oct. 15, GNA - A Ho High Court presided over by Mr Justice Richard Apaloo on Tuesday suspended a three-year sentence, being served by a 21-year-old student, Beatrice Doe, who unknown to her, was pregnant at the time of her conviction.

A Ho circuit court, presided over by Mr Nicholas M.C. Abodakpi, sentenced Doe on June 21, this year for unlawful damage to which she pleaded guilty.

The court had heard that Beatrice set ablaze her mother's clothes in the family bedroom, destroying other property valued at about 20.8 million cedis. She had consistently threatened to kill her mother who had persistently expressed disapproval of her sexual life. The court was also told that she had earlier been detained by the police overnight and warned to be of good behaviour, after she first threatened to kill her mother who had refused to allow her to go out with a boy.

Beatrice told the High Court that when she realised she was pregnant, she informed the Prison authorities, who sent her for medical examination at the Ho District Hospital.

A medical report confirming her pregnancy was submitted to the High court by the Prison authorities.