Self-styled pastor jailed for kidnapping
A self-styled pastor, Ernest Abotsi, aka Selasi Koomson, who kidnapped three minors at some churches in Accra last year was yesterday sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment by a circuit court in Accra.
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Last year, Abotsi first kidnapped a10-year-old boy at the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC); a nine-year-old at the Lighthouse Chapel International, North Kaneshie branch, on December 22, and an eight-year-old girl at Winner’s Chapel at the North Industrial Area on December 8.
He was charged with three counts of kidnapping and he pleaded guilty to all of them. The court, subsequently, sentenced him to eight years’ imprisonment on each of the charges.
The sentences are to run concurrently.
An alleged accomplice who was jointly held on the charge of conspiracy to commit crime, Isaac Etifi, was, however, discharged by the court, presided over by Ms Sedina Agbemava.
According to the court, after listening to the facts of the case, it was of the view that they did not support the charge preferred against Etifi.
The court also ordered that the GH¢5,000 retrieved from Abotsi belonged to Mr Kojo Spencer, a complainant, and should be refunded to him.
Case of the prosecution
The facts, as presented by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Agnes Boafo, were that the complainants were Eric Don Arthur of East Legon, Mr Spencer of Lashibi and Madam Doris Boateng of Adenta.
On December 1, 2013, Abotsi went to the ICGC, Abossey Okai branch, and kidnapped a 10-year-old boy and later called the boy’s father on phone and threatened him to pay GH¢2,000 for his son to be set free.
Abotsi collected the GH¢2,000 and directed the victim’s father to a place to take custody of his child.
About 7 a.m. on December 8, 2013, Abotsi went to the Winners Chapel at the North Industrial Area and kidnapped the second victim, an eight-year-old girl, sent her to an unknown place in Accra and called her grandmother to pay a ransom of GHc3,000 to him or lose her granddaughter.
ASP Boafo said out of fear, the victim’s grandmother sent the money to Abotsi at a scheduled place at Darkuman and he later released the victim at a spot on the George Walker Bush Highway, near Hong Kong.
Third victim
On December 22, last year, the prosecution said, Abotsi kidnapped the third victim at the Lighthouse Chapel International (Quodesh), North Kaneshie Headquarters, and repeated his conduct, that time demanding GH¢5,000 before he set the nine-year-old victim free and warned the complainant not to inform the police.
ASP Boafo said luck, however, ran out on Abotsi when he directed the complainant to meet him at Official Town, Odorkor, and leave the money near an electricity pole.
At that time the complainant had informed the police and Abotsi was monitored by plainclothes policemen.
Etifi, who was then passing by, was asked by Abotsi to pick a polythene bag placed under an electricity pole for him and in the process of handing it over to Abotsi, who was on a motorbike, with registration number M-13-GE, Abotsi was arrested.
Later, the prosecution said the complainant reported the matter to the police and Abotsi, in his caution statement, admitted the offence.