Zoe Outreach Embassy bars journalists

The Zoe Outreach Embassy in Accra has barred journalists from taking photographs or recording activities within its premises, a public notice pasted on the church building has indicated.

The church has also barred media personnel from trespassing beyond the frontage of the church which is located at Ogbodjo, near American House, in Accra.

The notice warned that persons who defied the directive did so at their own risk.

It read: "No media house or personnel. No photography. No media coverage. No trespass beyond this point is allowed.

You do so at your own risk.”

Rationale

The move is believed to be in response to reported disruption of activities at the church by some aggrieved customers of EL Real Estates and Tikowrie Capital, both companies owned by its founder, Pastor Kelvin Kwesi Kobiri.

The aggrieved customers, who claim that their investments had been locked up at both firms, had on two different occasions stormed the church to demand money owed them.

Some of the customers, who claim to have invested as much as GH¢1 million with EL Real Estates and Tikowrie Capital, disrupted last Sunday’s church service to demand their principal and mature investments.

According to them, their decision to invest in the companies was because they trusted Pastor Kobiri, but they have since November 2018 not been able to withdraw their dividends or principals.

In the thick of last Sunday’s disruptions at the church, Pastor Kobiri was reportedly whisked away by the police to secure his safety.

Peaceful service

Unlike a couple of weeks ago where the church’s Sunday’s services turned chaotic, yesterday’s service ended peacefully as there were no interruptions of any sort.

When the Daily Graphic arrived on the church premises at about 9:45 a.m., there was the usual church service going on in the church’s sound-proof auditorium, with four members of the church lined up as guards on the staircase leading up to the auditorium.

Moments later, the church service ended and the congregants dispersed peacefully.

Although there was no police presence, about 15 men in suites, who were later identified as the church’s security guards, were positioned at vantage points, including a bus stop opposite the church to forestall any disturbance.

 “I am a pastor here and we are providing security for our church,” one of them said curtly when he was approached by the news team. He declined to offer any explanation.

Some members of the church were tight-lipped over recent happenings at the church as they declined to engage the news team in conversation.