Police can’t trace teenagers in Obinim assault case

Prosecution in Bishop Daniel Obinim assault case has complained about the difficulties in locating the two teenagers (victims) in the matter to appear to testify in court.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) George Amegah, due to the difficulty in locating the victims, the Police has served a criminal summons on Obinim’s church administrator.

DSP Amegah said the church administrator initially brought the victims to the Police hence the reason for serving the criminal summons on him.

DSP Amegah said it was contemptuous for defence counsel to return the criminal summons to the Police.

However Obinim’s lawyer, Mr Ralph Opoku Adusei who obtained the criminal summons and returned same attached to a letter to the Police.

Mr Adusei apologised for the absence of Obinim, the Founder of God’s Way International Church and his pastor, Kinsley Baah a pastor as they were not court. Solomon Abraham another pastor and the third accused were however in court.

Mr Adusei explained that he returned the criminal summons because it was not the duty of his clients to provide the prosecution with the whereabouts of the victims.

According to him, the law did not make provisions for an accused to assist prosecution to build their case against his clients.

He said his clients did not know the whereabouts of the victims but heard that they have left for Bunkprugu Yunyoo in the Northern Region.

The court presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku advised that criminal summons should be served on the last person who had custody of the victims.

The matter has been adjourned to May 9.

Bishop Obinim has been dragged before the Court for allegedly assaulting two adopted children – a 14-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy who lived with him in the presence of his congregation.

He is said to have conducted the act with two of his pastors namely Kingsley Baah and Solomon Abraham. The two have been charged with abetment.

They have pleaded not guilty to the charges and have been granted bail in the sum of GH¢10,000 with one surety each before the court presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin- Doku.

The Prosecution narrated that the complainant, Irene Abochie-Nyahe, was a legal practitioner residing at Community 17, Lashibi.

That on August 17, 2016, at about 1700 hours, the Accra Branch of the Church held a service, at which Bishop Obinim claimed he had a revelation from God that the two alleged victims were engaged in pre-marital sex and the 14-year old girl was pregnant.

The prosecution said Obinim said the victim was in the process of aborting the pregnancy, therefore, the Holy Spirit had directed him (Obinim) to chastise the (teenagers) in the presence of the congregation.

According to the prosecution in the full glare of the church, Obinim allegedly removed his belt and assaulted them.

The prosecution said in the process, his two pastors, Baah and Abraham, prevented the female victim from running away from the said punishment.

The prosecution said the victim could not bear the pain, hence she sought refuge with Mrs. Florence Obinim, but her husband asked her to stay away.

He said the assault only stopped after Obinim became content with the alleged punishment.