Members of the Tema branch of Bishop Daniel Obinim’s International God’s Way Ministry seem to be deserting the church after recent acts of adultery by their Casanova leader.
His ardent followers, however, have resorted to attacking poor journalists, who they think are the main cause of their shepherd’s woes.
An Adom FM intern, Abednego Asante, who dared enter ‘the lion’s den’ to find out the state of affairs at the church since the disgraced pastor was arrested for attacking Hot FM, and succeeding in inflicting multiple wounds on the station’s staff, was arrested on Tuesday.
Since the incident, Obinim’s followers, like the acolytes of an angry god, have become allergic to journalists and are exacting their pound of flesh on the media.
Abednego was arrested by the church members and later thrown into police cells to mingle with suspected criminals with no charge preferred against him. He said he followed the man to a wooden structure where he saw about 15 men who interrogated him vigorously, after which they detained him for several minutes.
Even though he said they did not beat him up, they harassed him and requested that he play the voice recordings on his mobile phone to their hearing.
“I brought my mobile phone out and played a recording which was that of me and a friend chatting. They asked me several questions and insisted that I tell them who I was. I told them I am a student and had come to worship with them,” the intern stated.
He stated that he was detained for several minutes until a police patrol team was called to the church and he was sent to the Community 8 police station in Tema where he was interrogated.
Asante insisted he was a student because he was afraid he might be assaulted like another Adom FM reporter who was allegedly assaulted when he too went to the same church on a similar mission.
When he was finally allowed to contact a relation, he quickly called his news editor, Afia Pokuaa, who dashed to the police station.
“Shortly after I spoke with Afia on phone, a policeman at the station asked me to undress after which he threw me into the station’s cells with the explanation that I did not sound like a student. I had to spend some time with the inmates of the cells as if I was a criminal and was only rescued when Adom FM officials arrived,” he commented.
He, together with his news editor, was later sent to the District Commander, Superintendent Kwaku Buah, at the Community 1 Police Station where after a brief interaction, he was released with no charges preferred against him.
Superintendent Kwaku Buah confirmed the story to Daily Guide.
Bishop Obinim, who is standing trial for allegedly assaulting two journalists at Hot FM, was slapped with four more charges, bringing all the charges to seven.
Obinim, 33, is on trial with two of his associate pastors, Kingsley Baah, 25, and Kofi Akwettey, 35, on conspiracy to commit crime, unlawful entry, causing damage to private property and assault.
Obinim had two additional counts of the use of offensive weapon and causing unlawful harm. According to the prosecutor, the damages caused by the accused persons to the equipment at Hot FM studios were estimated at GH¢130,850.
They are on a GH¢50,000 bail with two sureties each. The case has been adjourned to September 26. From Razak Mardorgyz Abubakar, Tema Earlier, another reporter of Adom FM, Francis Hinakwa, had been ‘arrested’ by the same church and his shirt was torn into pieces. The matter is still with the police.
Abednego, who was detained by members of the church on Tuesday, a day the Don Juan pastor made another appearance in court, told DAILY GUIDE that Obinim’s congregation seemed depleted and was not as large as it had always been before the incidents.
“They were only about seven men and a few women. Obinim himself, after arriving from a court in Accra where he is currently being tried for various charges, during his sermon, lamented on the low turnout of church members.”
Narrating his ordeal, the trainee reporter said he had gone to the Tema Community 9 branch of the church to find out if the regular Tuesday church service would be held and what the mood of the congregation was.
Abednego said he arrived at the church premises around 10:30am and quickly joined the congregation that had already started praying when moments later, a male member of the church walked to him and said some members wanted to see him.
Source: Razak Mardorgyz Abubakar, Tema
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