Court dismisses suit against Rev. Annor-Yeboah

Accra (Greater Accra) 23 June '99

An Accra circuit court today dismissed a writ filed against the Rev. Dr Augustine Annor-Yeboah, General Secretary of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), by four members for alleged moral improprieties and bribery.

The court, presided over by Mr Victor Ofoe, said the plaintiffs did not produce any evidence to support their claims, which included perpetual injunction to restrain Rev Annor-Yeboah from exercising the functions of a general secretary of CAC.

It awarded 300,000 cedis costs against the plaintiffs.

The plaintiffs were Mr Benjamin Otchere, Mr James Owusu, Mr Peter Buo Boateng, and all members of Akomadan branch of CAC and Mr Emmanuel Owiredu Abossey of Kwae branch of the church.

Defendants were Rev Annor-Yeboah and Registered Trustees of CAC.

The plaintiffs in their statement of claim, said Rev Annor-Yeboah had sex with two married female members, bribed court officials and accused him of financial maladministration of CAC.

They therefore prayed to the court not only to restrain him from holding himself as General Secretary but to bar him from being a member of the CAC.

The defendants denied the allegations and called on the court to dismiss the suit.

Giving reasons for the dismissal, Mr Ofoe said the plaintiffs made four allegations of illegal telephone installation, bribery of court officials and having sex with four female members who are married.

The judge said the plaintiffs did not call any witness from the Ghana Telecom to testify that the defendant made illegal installation.

Rather, the defendants produced evidence that the installation was done with the approval of the Executive Council of the CAC and that payment of bills accrued out of the telephone installed was approved by the Council.

On bribery of court officials, the court held that the plaintiffs failed to call any witness to testify to that.

It said it found it difficult to believe the evidence of the two members who alleged that Rev Annor-Yeboah had sex with them.

The court explained that one of them alleged that the defendant took him to Dormaa Ahenkro and lodged her in a room at a place where later there was a blackout.

Evidence on record state that she was in the dark room when the defendant entered and had sex with her.

The court said it found it difficult to believe the story because the alleged victim could not have stayed in the dark room since that day was her first time of going to the place where she lodged.

It said the other female member alleged that at an arbitration of her parents at one side and the defendants at the other, the defendants agreed and paid two million cedis as compensation to her. However, during the trial, neither of her parents or any other person at the said arbitration testified on her behalf.

The court held that from the evidence adduced, the plaintiffs failed to prove their case and accordingly dismissed their suit.