Woman who faked pregnancy jailed for six years

The Takoradi Harbour Circuit Court A has sentenced Joana Krah, the 29-year-old woman who faked her kidnapping last week in Takoradi to six years in prison.

She pleaded guilty to two counts of deceiving a public officer and publication of false news on Monday, October 25, 2021 when she was arraigned before the court.

The court sentenced her to two years in prison for publishing false news and a further six years for deceiving a public officer. This brings her sentence to a total of eight years.

However, both sentences will run concurrently, hence, she will spend six years in prison.

A report filed by the Daily Graphic indicates that the court considered the fact that Joana is a first time offender, has a child and collaborated with investigators after she turned herself in to the police when the matter was reported.

While serving her term, her child will be in the custody of her adopted father from whom she had attempted to extort money when she faked her kidnap.

Joana had conspired with two other people last week to fake her kidnap in Takoradi in the Western Region last week.

The two, Susana Awortwe, 27, and Francis Eshun, 27, had helped the convict demand a ransom of GH¢5,000 from her adopted father who however reported the matter to the police.

When Joana realized the police was involved and a search party had been mounted for her, she turned herself in and told the police that she was joking.

The police subsequently arrested her and later, Susana and Francis for their complicity in the crime.

The court had ordered the police to conduct a pregnancy test on the convict before passing sentence when the case was called on Tuesday morning. The test returned a negative results, after which the court handed her the jail sentence.

The court further noted that this sentence is to deter others who may want to commit a similar offence in the future.