SEVEN FRESH CHARGES SLAPPED ON OBINIM, ACCOMPLICE

By Felix Engsalige Nyaaba

Seven fresh charges were yesterday levelled against the founder of the International God’s Way Church, Bishop Daniel Obinim, and two of his junior pastors at the Accra Circuit Court.

The accused are said to have attacked the studios of Hot FM, an Accra radio station, and vandalized property valued at GH¢130,850.00.

The prosecutor in the case, a Senior State Attorney, Ms Rebecca Adjalo had yesterday before proceedings withdrawn the earlier charge sheet and substituted it with the new one containing the fresh charges.

Subsequently, the matter was struck out and the accused persons were discharged and re-arraigned on the new charges.

The new charges are unlawful entry, conspiracy to commit crime of unlawful damage, causing unlawful damage, Causing harm, two counts of conspiracy to commit crime of assault and two counts of assault.

Bishop Obinim, Pastor Kingsley Baah and Pastor Kofi Akwetey, all  pleaded not guilty to the charges and the court, presided over by Ms Audrey Korcuvie-Tay, admitted them to  bail of GH¢200,000 each with three  sureties.

 They will reappear on April 12, 2012.

The   State prosecutor told the court that, upon studying the case from the police the Attorney General has advice that the charges should be substitute and that a fresh charges has been preferred against the accused persons.

The facts of the case as narrated by the state prosecutor, Ms Rebecca Adjalo, were that on August 8, 2011, there was a programme on Hot FM dubbed; Nya Asem Hwe, which was being hosted by Paul Kwame Ntim Katakyie, the complainant in the case.

She said during the programme, one of the topics discussed was about Bishop Obinim’s sexual scandal and the playing of a tape recording relating to the scandal while issues relating to Bishop Obinim’s wife and the two accused persons were also discussed.

The Senior State Attorney explained that, the accused persons on hearing the programme stormed the FM station with a crowbar and started vandalizing the sliding door to the studio and other studio equipment.

The damaged property included a voice processor valued at GH¢7,500, a Telos Hybria (1X6) valued at GH¢18,000, a head phone distributor valued at GH¢6,000, two CD players valued at GH¢4,500, three telephone sets valued at GH¢2,250, a Dell desktop PC valued at GH¢450 and a Toshiba laptop valued at GH¢750.

The rest were a Samsung laptop valued at GH¢1,600, a telephone valued at GH¢800, a console valued at GH¢18,000, an electric voice microphone valued at GH¢3,750, a microphone stand valued at GH¢2,250, louvre doors valued at GH¢ 20,000, and one K FM transmitter valued at G¢45,000.

The prosecutor said the accused persons also attacked the host and other panel members including Rev. William Amoako Atta and inflicted injuries on them but a witness, Shadrack Adu, managed to escape to the Adabraka Police Station to seek for assistance.

In his application for bail, lead counsel for the accused persons, Mr. Kwame Afriyie, prayed the court to admit the suspects to bail, since on their first arraignment, they were admitted to bail.

He said the  state has since  substituted the charge s for several times and that at the appropriate time the defence would lead evidence to show that, the accused has not committed the crime that the state alleged in its charge sheet.

Mr. Afriyie said the accused are all pastors whose work was to redeem the souls of the living being and that they would not jump bail when granted.

But the state Attorney said, even though the prosecution was not opposed to bail for the accused the court should take juridical notices that the first accused, Bishop Obinim failed to appear in court at the last sitting day.

She the Bishop Obinim did not sought permission from the investigator or the court before traveling out the country at that time and that if the court was mindful of granting him bail, the bail should be such that he would appear to stand trial.

However, before the court adjourned the case, the presiding judge asked Bishop Obinim to confirm whether he did went to the Radio Station as it has been stated in the charge sheet and he answered affirmative.

As usual, a large group of sympathizers followed the accused persons to court and Bishop Obinim, who sported a black -coloured shirt on a black treasure with dark goggles, saluted all who came across him, particularly lawyers and media men and women covering the case.

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