Male Nurse Bonks Mental Patient

A 28-year old male nurse at the Valley View Hospital, who has been in the Police custody for a year for having carnal knowledge of a 29 year old female mental patient, has been granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court.

The accused person, Joshua Penni, who was then a night nurse at the hospital, allegedly had sexual intercourse with the patient on two occasions, after which she (patient) reported the matter to her family and the hospital authorities.

His plea has, however, not been taken yet, since it was the first time of appearing before the Domestic Violence Court. Pleading for bail, his counsel, Edwin Kusi-Appiah, told the court that his client has been in custody from June 2015, when the case was at the committal level at the District Court.

He added that the offence was a bailable one, and prayed to the court to grant him bail accordingly. He added that his client has people of substance to stand surety for him, and that he also has a permanent job and fixed place of abode, so if granted bail, he will avail himself for the conditions.

The court, presided over by Abena Adji-Doku, granted him bail in the sum of GH¢20,000. He is expected to appear before the court on July 11, 2016.

Facts
According to Detective Chief Inspector Kofi Atinbire, the victim is a 29-year accountant who lives at Spintex, Baatsona, but is now a mental patient, while the accused person, Penni Joshua, 28, is a nurse who works at Valley View Psychiatric Clinic at Dzorwulu.

According to the Prosecutor, the victim became ill on June 1, 2015, and was taken to the hospital, where she was put on admission. The accused person works as a night nurse at the same hospital.

On Thursday June 18, 2015, at about 10:00pm, the victim, after her medication, was feeling drowsy and weak, and was lying on her bed alone, since other patients in the ward had been discharged the previous day, when the accused person came to check on her.

When the accused person realised that the victim was alone in her room and weak, he turned the victim over and had sexual intercourse with her.

The following day, Friday June 19, 2015, when the accused person came to work, he went to the victim's room again, and realising she was alone, had sexual intercourse with her a second time.

The victim informed her family about it, which also informed the hospital management. The case was reported to the police, and the accused person apprehended, and upon interrogation he admitted the offence.

By MaameAgyeiwaaAgyei
([email protected])