According to ASP Sarah Acquah, the doctor at the Central Regional hospital where Jacinta Oduro was being examined indicated that he would need two more weeks to complete the psychological analysis.
Following this, Georgina Mensah Datsa adjourned the matter to March 22.
It would be recalled that on February 10, when Jacinta first appeared in court, Selasse Kofi Fumey, her lawyer, indicated that she was not mentally sound to answer the charge leveled against her and therefore requested that she should be psychologically examined.
However, the prosecutor, ASP Sarah Acquah, denied the lawyer’s claim, indicating that police information suggested that the accused was a 100 percent sound and would not need such an examination. ASP Acquah said she would provide the court documents to that effect.
The judge, after listening to both submissions, remanded Jacinta into police custody with an order for her to be sent to the psychiatric hospital for examination.
Jacinta, who is standing trial for child stealing, had her plea also reserved by the court because the prosecution said the matter was still under investigation.
ASP Acquah, presenting the facts, disclosed that the complainant is the mother of the stolen child and she resides at Kasoa.
On January 17, 2011, the complainant gave birth to a baby girl at Korle-Bu Teaching hospital and was discharged on January 19, but was asked to report back for a review.
On January 31, the complainant, with her auntie, took the baby to the hospital but her doctor was not available so she was asked to come back on February 3.
When the complainant was leaving the hospital, she met Jacinta, who was dressed in all white and seated at the nurses’ desk at the maternity Out Patient Department (OPD).
The complainant, thinking Jacinta was a nurse, approached her and asked if her baby could be weighed as her doctor was unavailable.
According to the prosecutor, Jacinta agreed to assist the mother and asked her to give the baby to her auntie while she followed her upstairs to see a doctor.
On their way, Jacinta allegedly asked the complainant to wait for her to go and collect some lab results from the central laboratory.
Jacinta reportedly went to the complainant’s auntie, took the little girl with an explanation that the doctor would like to see the baby and left the premises.
Later, when the mother observed that Jacinta had been gone for long, she went down to see her auntie and the baby but was informed by her auntie that Jacinta had come for the baby.
All efforts to find Jacinta and the baby proved futile. Subsequently, a report was made to the Korle-Bu police.
The police later arrested Jacinta at her hide-out near Dansoman Last-Stop.
In her caution statement, Jacinta allegedly admitted the offence and mentioned that it was one Attaa who bought the child at GH¢300.
However, when the said Attaa heard that she was wanted by the police, she allegedly sent the child to Assin Fosu in the Central Region, abandoned her and also went into hiding.
The police later transferred the case to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit, where Jacinta was processed for court.
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