Michale Simons, husband of Josephine Payin Simons, the fake Takorid pregnancy and kidnapping suspect has told the court that he saw his wife’s pregnant belly physically.
Michael Simons made these remarks during cross-examination by the accused’s lead counsel, Fiifi Buckman, at Takoradi Circuit Court A.
The full trial began on Thursday with the cross-examination of two prosecution witnesses: Michael Simons and the accused’s mother, Agnes Essel.
“I saw my wife’s physical belly from the first month to the tenth month when we moved from our residence in Colombia, a suburb of Takoradi, to live with her mother at the Old Johnsaba road,” myjoyonline.com quoted him to have said.
When the husband was summoned, he was asked how long he had been with the wife before she became pregnant, and he replied, “Two and a half years.”
The lawyer, Philip Fiifi Buckman, then asked if he had ever seen the wife naked during her pregnancy, to which he said yes.
“I saw my wife naked while pregnant between the ages of five and six months, and even up to the tenth month when she moved to join the mother at old John Sarbah road to await her safe delivery.”
When he adduced evidence in Chief for the trial, the husband provided more answers to questions posed by Chief Superintendent Emmanuel Basantale, the prosecutor.
Following that, the lead counsel asked the witness, “Did you suspect or know your wife was pregnant, did you see her physical tummy without cloth, and how long did you stay with her as a wife?”
During re-examination, the Prosecutor attempted to raise questions that appeared to have been answered, but was quickly interrupted by the lead Counsel, who stated, “these questions do not pass for re-examination: this process is either to clear ambiguity or new and factual matters have come into play.”
Judge Micheal Kojo Ampadu upheld the objection, noting that all relevant information was on file.
Agnes Essel, the accused’s mother, testified before the court as the second witness, admitting that Josephine Simons was her biological daughter and that she was indeed pregnant.
She stated that even though she went to Axim, she was unable to stay with her daughter at the hospital.
“She couldn’t speak, but only signed,” Madam Essel continued, “and she was in handcuffs at Axim, and after our transfer to Effia Nkwanta Hospital, I was not allowed to stay with her.”
The lead counsel questioned what happened at the Police Station and the issues that arose as a result of that encounter.
“I was asked to agree with what the medics said that my daughter was not pregnant, but I couldn’t do that, so I was locked up for a day,” Madam Agnes Essel responded.
Meanwhile, during the hearing, Prosecutor Basantale did not conduct any examinations.
The judge rescheduled the case for January 13 to allow additional witnesses to testify.
