Court orders Funny Face to seek re-examination at psychiatric hospital

Comedian Benson Nana Yaw Oduro Boateng also known as Funny Face has been ordered by a Kaneshie District Court to seek medical examination.

Funny Face has been charged with one count of threat of death.

The comedian’s presence in court comes after his arrest for threatening to kill the mother of his twin daughters and a promise to commit suicide after the act.

Even though the charge was read to him in court, his plea has been reserved pending a report on his mental health.

Prosecution led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Slyvester Asare also pleaded with the court for an order for Funny Face’s body fluid to be taken for a substance abuse examination.

The brief facts of the case as presented by ASP Asare were that the accused, Benson Nana Yaw Oduro Boateng known as Funny Face is a Comedian, Actor and musician by profession who resides at Sector, millennium city, Kasoa.

He said the accused person was married to one Lizzy but divorced in 2017. Prosecution said in 2020, the accused person got engaged to one Vanessa and had twins with her.

Per the facts, in February 2021, Vanessa fled with the twins after they broke up to an unknown destination.

After his ex-wife absconded, the accused person took to his Instagram page and threatened to kill his ex-wife Lizzy and girlfriend Vanessa and commit suicide afterwards.

“Accused person in his caution statement blamed the action on depression and his failure to take his drugs given to him when he was sent to the psychiatric hospital for treatment.

“Prosecution suspects the accused person is mentally unstable and therefore pleading with the court to give an order for the accused to be re-examined,” the prosecutor said.

The court has adjourned the case to November 10, 2021.

Background

On the night of Monday, October 19, the police arrested Funny Face, for allegedly threatening some people on social media.

According to the police, due to the highly publicised mental health history of the actor, comedian and musician, the service will “submit him to the court for an order for [a] psychiatric examination to determine the next line of investigative action.”

“The police is committed to protecting lives with the generous help of the public. We want to assure the public that we shall not take anything for granted in the interest of public safety,” the police said.

Funny Face’s erratic behaviours over the last few years have been well documented. The series of unfortunate public events began after it was reported a few years ago that his marriage had collapsed.

The comedian often makes allusions to having suffered in life and has picked up feuds with some personalities, some of whom have exchanged words via social media with him. This list includes the actor Kwadwo “Lil Win” Nkansah.

He has often threatened violence against former partners as well as against some personalities in the entertainment industry.

Funny Face’s family troubles also led him to be confined at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital earlier this year, after a court ruling.

The court also extended his stay at the mental health facility when the doctor attending to the actor recommended that he needed some more time to go through the treatment.

The comedian was again in court after the police in Kasoa arrested him for unlawfully discharging a firearm at a drinking pub.