WN/R: Court orders murder suspect to go to psychiatric hospital for checks

A 23-year-old man, who allegedly murdered his 60-year-old father, Yaw Nbim, has been referred to the Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital in Cape Coast by the Enchi District Magistrate Court, to verify if he is mentally sound.

Abednego Nbim, unemployed, was said to have committed the crime at Kuesuea a cottage in old Yakase in the Aowin municipality.

He is currently on a provisional charge of murder as his plea has not been taken, and the trial judge Mr Lawrence Buanor-Buer has adjourned the case to Monday May 20, 2024.

The Prosecutor, Detective Chief Inspector Joseph Kwadwo Agyare, told the court that Akosua Andolo, the complainant is a farmer and the suspect's mother who lived together with the deceased (husband), suspect and his other siblings at Kuesuea.

The prosecutor said the suspect's parents had for some time now noticed his abnormal behaviour and took him to the Enchi Government Hospital's Mental Health Unit for thorough examination and treatment.

He said on April 1, 2024, the suspect was admitted at the said facility where a referral letter was issued to the parents to send him to the Wa Regional Hospital- Mental Health Unit for further medical care.

On April 5, 2024, the suspect was discharged to enable the parents proceed to Wa for the needed medical attention, but they took him home, claiming he was suffering from spiritual instinct.

Chief Inspector Agyare said on April 13, 2024, at about 1900 hours, the complainant went to the back of their building to have her bath and the suspect followed her so he could have sex with her.

She, however, managed to free herself, but while calming the suspect down, his father also came around to have a word with the suspect and he attacked him.

The court heard that the suspect's younger brother who chanced on them quickly went to the Old Yakasi community and reported the incident to the committee Chairman, while the complainant also called for help from the nearby cottage.

Prosecution said the suspect was subsequently arrested and handed over to the police, but the complainant later reported to the committee that his husband was nowhere to be found after the suspect allegedly chased him out from the cottage.

The opinion leaders organised a search party and on April 14, 2024, at about 0100 hours they found the body of Yaw Nbim in a nearby bush about 90 meters away from their cottage.

GNA