One of the four pastors who were sent threatening text messages by a security man demanding GH¢5,000 from each of them or risk being killed had compassion on the convict and paid the fine imposed by the Accra Circuit Court yesterday.
The court, presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku, had imposed a fine of GH¢480 on the 31-year-old security man, Emmanuel Yaw Owusu.
Owusu also signed a two-year bond to be of good behaviour. Failure to pay the fine, the court had said, would attract a four-month prison term.
During the court’s last sitting on April 8, 2016, Owusu had pleaded guilty to four counts of threat of death. He was, therefore, sentenced on his own plea.
Leniency
Sentencing the convict, the presiding judge stated that she was being lenient after Owusu had told the court that he earned around GH¢400 a month, while his girlfriend was expecting a baby.
“I have taken into consideration your circumstances and the fact that you are a first-time offender,” she asserted.
In spite of the leniency shown by the judge, Owusu, who had tears in his eyes when his sentence was being read, faced the prospect of going to prison due to his inability to pay the fine.
He was, however, saved from his woes after one of his victims and Superintendent Bishop of the Jesus Generation Ministries, Right Rev. Dr Nana Anyani-Boadum, paid the fine.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Rt Rev. Dr Nana Anyani-Boadum said he paid the money after consulting with the President of the Ghana Pentecostal Council, Dr Opoku Onyina.
“I would have liked him to face justice, even though I have forgiven him, but I do not think prison will reform him. Besides, he has shown remorse for his crime,’’ he said.
Owusu, on hearing that the preacher of the Gospel had paid his fine, knelt down in front of the Bishop and thanked him, promising that he would not indulge in any criminal activity again.
Pastors
The threatened pastors are Rt Rev. Dr Nana Anyani-Boadum; Bishop Prince S. Baah, the Presiding Bishop of the Calvary Crusaders Ministries; Rev. Christopher Marfo Ahenkorah, the General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church, and Bishop Samuel Noi Mensah, the Presiding Bishop of the Full Gospel Church International.
The four are also executive members of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC).
Facts
The facts of the case, as presented by the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Ofori Amanfo, were that the four pastors received text messages on March 23, 2016 from a Vodafone number, 0200381608, which stated: “We are armed robbers. We demand GH¢5,000 from you and your church or we eliminate you and your family, as well as 5,000 members of your church. Send it or action.’’
He added that Owusu was arrested by the police on April 1, 2016 after he had agreed to meet an undercover agent to collect the money.
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