Man in court for harassing step mother

An Accra Circuit court has ordered a mental assessment of a 19-year-old student accused of frequent harassment of his stepmother.
The student has been charged with engaging in domestic violence to wit harassment.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire told the court presided over by Mrs. Rita Abrokwa-Doko that for the past two years the 66-year-old woman has been harassed variously by her stepson.

He said the accused known as James Williams had taken GHC 3,000 .00 as compensation from his stepmom after behaving violently towards her.

The prosecution said Williams also works as a factory hand at his stepmom’s factory where he is paid GHC 360.00 a month.

The court observed a strange behavior when after the prosecution called the accused as James Williams, he protested and said he is rather known as Isaac Arthur.

The accused told the court his family had rejected him and that only one of his relatives knows his real name.

The court then ordered that a mental assessment should be carried out on Williams at the Psychiatric Hospital to enable the court to take a decision in respect of him.

It further directed the case investigator to ensure that the medical expenses are bored by the stepmother who is the complainant in the case.

The prosecution said William, a student lives with the complainant Mariam B. Williams at New Achimota after the demise of his father.

He said the accused allegedly took to smoking of Indian hemp and has been harassing the complainant to pay him ‘’Compensation” of GHC 3,000.00.

The prosecution said after some back and forth the complainant gave Williams the GHC3,000.00 and he left the house.

He said the accused returned some few weeks later, pleading for forgiveness after squandering the money.

The Prosecution said the complainant then employed him in her factory, but he started behaving violently to some of the complainant’s staff.

He said when the complainant confronted him, he told the complainant he was going to teach her a lesson she would never forget.

The Prosecution said this put fear in the complainant who then reported the matter to the Domestic Violence and Domestic Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service.
The matter has been adjourned to December 4.