Pregnant woman arrested for attempted suicide

Tema, Aug. 4, GNA - A 21-year-old woman, who attempted to commit suicide on two occasions because her boyfriend had refused responsibility for her two-months-old pregnancy, has been remanded into custody by the Tema Court A'.

Harriet Ocran pleaded guilty and will reappear on August 8, 2004. The Court also referred the accused to the Department of Social Welfare for counselling, following pleads by friends of the court.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Mary Assunta told the court presided over by Mr Charles Asiedu, that the accused who has a five-year-old child, informed her boy friend, a taxi driver about the pregnancy but he denied being responsible.

She said Harriet therefore drank pesticide on July 27, 2004 and was rushed to Tema Polyclinic by her boyfriend, where she was treated and discharged.

Chief Inspector Assunta said the following day, July 28, the accused drank again, the same poison and was rushed to the Tema Port Clinic in a critical condition.

Harriet was consequently arrested when she was discharged.