Accra (Greater Accra) Samuel Kwaku Zotor, a 19 year-old welder who prepared concoctions for his girl friend to abort a five-month-old pregnancy, on Tuesday appeared before an Accra circuit tribunal.

Zotor, charged with conspiracy and attempt to commit abortion, pleaded not guilty and was granted a 20 million cedi bail with one surety to be justified. He will appear again on September 13.

His girl friend, a 17 year- old hairdresser, who faced the same charges, pleaded guilty. She was convicted and was referred to the juvenile court for sentencing.

Chief Inspector Benedicta Akolgo told the tribunal chaired by Mrs. Elizabeth Anderson Yebuah that in July this year, the complainant, who is the father of the girl, detected that his daughter was pregnant but when he asked her she denied it.

The prosecutor said the girl immediately informed her boy friend that her parents had detected the pregnancy and they agreed to abort it. Zotor prepared concoctions for her to drink to terminate the pregnancy but it did not work.

Zotor informed one of his friends, who is now at large, to assist them to see a traditional doctor but when this move also failed Zotor prepared another concoction of paracetamol, and akpeteshie, which the girl took but again to no avail.

Zotor then promised to send her to the hospital but before he could do so the girl bled profusely at her workplace and collapsed.

She was rushed to the Achimota Hospital from where she was referred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for an operation.