Tarkwa, June 19, GNA - A 20- year- old galamsey operator (small scale miner), Anthony Amihere, has been granted GH¢5,000 bail by the Tarkwa Circuit Court for intentionally and unlawfully causing abortion on Faustina Maame Abene, now deceased. \He pleaded guilty and would re-appear on June 27. Prosecuting, Police Detective Chief Inspector Oscar Amponsah told the court presided over by Mr Samuel Obeng Diawuo that the victim was an 18 year- old second year student of Okomfo Anokye Senior High School at Wiamoase near Kumasi.

The Prosecutor said in 2009 the accused went to Wramso to engage in galamsey and fell in love with the deceased leading to the development of a relationship.

He said on October 25, 2010, the deceased visited the accused and informed him that she was pregnant. Although Amihere advised the deceased t= o keep the pregnancy, she allegedly insisted that she wanted to terminate it so that she could continue with her education. Chief Inspector Amponsah said on October 31, last year, the accused gave the deceased GH¢160 Ghana to abort the pregnancy. He said on November 4, the accused returned from his galamsey operations at about 0200 hours and met the deceased in her room complaining of abdominal pains. The accused with the assistance of his father and brother rushed her t= o Himan clinic where she was referred to Prestea Government Hospital where sh= e died while receiving treatment.

Detective Amponsah said the case was reported to the Police and post mortem examination conducted on the deceased gave the cause of the student= 's death as induced abortion. He said after thorough investigation the accused was charged with the offence.