Police can’t trace Obinim assault victims

The prosecution in the assault case against Bishop Daniel Obinim has complained of difficulties in locating the two 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 have 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, however defence counsel Ralph Opoku Adusei returned the criminal summons to the Police with an attached letter.

Obinim’s lawyer Mr Adusei apologised to the court for the absence of Obinim, Founder of God’s Way International Church and one of his pastors, Kingsley Baah as they were not court.

Solomon Abraham, another pastor and third accused was 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 provision 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 and adjourned the case to May 9.

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

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

They have pleaded not guilty to the charge and have been granted bail in the sum of GH¢10,000 with one surety each.

The prosecution say the complainant, Irene Abochie-Nyahe, was a legal practitioner residing at Community 17, Lashibi, and 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 resulting in the 14-year old girl being 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 them in the presence of the congregation.

According to the prosecution in the full glare of the church, Obinim allegedly took of 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 punishment and that when she could not bear the pain, 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.