State prosecutors are skeptical that Bishop Daniel Obinim, founder of International God’s Way Church – who is standing trial in an Accra Domestic Violence and Gender-Based Court for flogging his church members – is sick.
According to DSP George Amegah, a medical report from the Police Hospital tendered by Ralph Poku Adusei, counsel for Obinim, as evidence for the absence of the man of God must be investigated.
He opined that the prosecution has to investigate the report to find out whether Obinim actually attended hospital and was being attended to by a doctor.
Bishop Obinim’s two other pastors – Kingsley Baah and Solomon Abraham – have been slapped with the charge of abetting their senior pastor to abuse the two church members.
Bishop Obinim is reported to have on August 17, last year at Ashaley Botwe in Accra, unlawfully and physically abused one Elliasu Obinim, 16, and Gyesiwaah Obinim, 14 – his adopted children – in front of the congregation.
But Ralph, justifying the absence of his client from court yesterday said, ‘Angel’ Obinim was taken ill in the morning and had been sent to the Police Hospital, and was having a medical report to proof it, although he had not filed it at the court.
He stated that the report was not for the prosecution but the court, adding that the prosecution is not entitled to a copy of the medical report.
Bishop Obinim’s lawyer indicated that the prosecution’s interest in the matter is not beyond the prosecution of the case.
“If the court is in doubt and wants to investigate the medical report, it can. But the prosecution is not the court and cannot direct the court on what to do,” Mr Ralph Poku Adusei averred.
Ralph disclosed that the victims in the case had also gone to the police station to give further statements to the police, stressing that the “victims are not minors.”
On that, DSP Amegah said the prosecution would have to contact the case investigator over the supposed further statements by the victims.
This, he noted, if possible, would trigger the necessary amendments in their facts, contending that “the facts constitute part of our case.”
The trial judge, Mrs. Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku adjourned sitting until January 26, 2017 and ordered Ralph to file the medical report at the court.
The accused persons are currently on a GH¢10,000 bail each with one surety, one to be justified.
Earlier, DSP Abraham Annor said the complainant is a resident of Community 17 at Lashibi, also a suburb of Accra.
He said the victims live with Bishop Obinim in his residence in Accra and that on the day of the incident the Accra branch of the church had a service where the man of God claimed that he had a revelation from God and that the two teenagers were engaged in pre-marital sex, resulting in the pregnancy of Gyesiwaah.
The police officer stated that Bishop Obinim further indicated that he was directed by the Holy Spirit to chastise them in front of the general congregation and subjected the two to serious beatings with his black waist leather belt in the full glare of the congregation.
The prosecution stated that Angel Obinim was assisted by Kingsley and Solomon.
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.
