At least one person has been arrested by the police as they tried to disperse a teeming crowd made up of members of the International God’s Way Church who are demanding the release of the head pastor Bishop Daniel Obinim.
The police say the arrested man interfered with their work which they say is in the interest of the public.
Clad in red attire, the congregants’ chanted “No Obinim, no vote” as they tried to enter the premises of the Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters.
Joy News’ Komla Adom reported that the police used water cannon to disperse the crowd but they were unmoved as they continue chanting.
After several failed attempts to get Bishop Obinim assist with investigations surrounding his flogging of two church members, he finally turned himself in at the Tema Police Command.
On Wednesday morning Bishop Obinim was sent to the CID Headquarters where he was questioned for allegedly defrauding someone to the sum of GH¢11.6 million in a gold business.
His church members have vowed that they would not leave the premises of the Headquarters if the man of God is not released.
Earlier, Samuel Atta Akyea, lawyer for Bishop Obinim described the arrest of his client as a deliberate attempt by some elements in the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) to divert attention from the remission granted to the Montie triad by the President.
“He is not a common criminal but he was locked up and handcuffed and place on the front pages of Daily Graphic and Ghanaian Times,” he said.
Related: Arrest of Obinim is a diversionary tactic from Montie 3 – Atta Akyea Commenting on the arrest on Joy FM’s Top Story programme, a member of the Concerned Clergy Association, Reverend Benny Wood, said the behavior of the supporters is a direct reaction to the manner in which Bishop Obinim was handled during his arrest.
“There must be a reason why the supporters were there. The way he was handcuffed and taken to the police station created passionate response,” he said.
He, however, urged the supporters to heed the teachings of the Bible which he said called for peaceful protest.
“The members if they are abreast with the Bible should wait for the police to charge him so that the lawyers will do what they are expected to do and if there is any injustice they will see it,” he said.
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