Two soldiers yesterday caused a stir at the Christian Assembly Church at Dome Pillar-Two, a suburb of Accra, when they stormed the church and took away some musical instruments belonging to the congregation.
According to an eyewitness, the two, a Warrant Officer and a Lance Corporal, claimed they were from Burma Camp, alleging that the Head Pastor and owner of the church, Mr. Godfred Chief Medicine, who is also Executive Chairman of US Tilapia, collected GH�13,000 and GH�6,000 respectively from them under the pretext of providing them tilapia cages.
The eyewitness said, the action of the personnel brought the worship to an abrupt end, as members had to stop singing and dancing.
While some members cursed them for the ungodly behaviour, others referred to them as �forces� and thieves who came to steal and destroy.
The Kwabenya District Police Commander, Superintendent Victoria Yamoah, confirmed the incident on telephone saying a report was made to that effect.
She said the counter officer on duty in the morning received a complaint from the two personnel, whose names were not given that Mr. Medicine collected monies from them to provide them with tilapia cages and fingerlings to enable them to go into fish farming.
The personnel claimed that, they tried several times to get in touch with the suspect but to no avail as he kept playing hide and seek with them, and when they learnt the church belonged to him, they went there to arrest him, but they were was not successful.
According to the soldiers, they took the action to compel the Head Pastor follow-up to Burma Camp, but were advised by the Police that they could not do that, and were consequently advised to return the items to the church.
Moments later, the Commander said a group of people apparently members of the church, appeared at the police station to lodge a complaint that thieves had stolen their instruments.
Superintendent Yamoah said though the soldiers agreed to return the instruments, upon advice from the police, members of the church refused to accept them adding that they (the instruments) have to be re-tested by an expert to ensure that they are in good condition
The Commander said, her outfit was presently keeping the instruments at the police station to enable the police to conduct further investigations into the matter.
She said she had learnt that the Police Headquarters is investigating cases involving Mr. Medicine.
<<Print>>