'I never said John Mahama used lynched soldier for rituals' - Owusu Bempah

Reverend lsaac Owusu Bempah, General Overseer of the Glorious Way Chapel, has expressed shock at recent comments about him by Reverend Stephen Opuni, General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG).

Rev Opuni, in an interview last week, condemned Rev Bempah over some comments he purportedly made about the lynching of Captain Maxwell Mahama.

Rev Bempah is alleged to have indicated in a radio interview that Captain Mahama’s murder happened because he had been used for ritual purposes by former President John Mahama – a remark the man of God has flatly denied uttering.

Reacting to Rev Opuni’s comment in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom, on Accra100.5FM on Tuesday June 6, Rev Owusu Bempah said: “Normally when I read certain things on social media, I try to listen to it [the tape] myself to know exactly what the person said. I listened to Rev Opuni’s comment about me, but what I will say is that I am not sure Mr Opuni heard my interview with Okay FM. Probably he read the distorted reports on social media and drew his conclusion.

“I expected him to have invited me to listen to me or even gone for the tape from the radio station to listen before drawing a conclusion. Why didn’t the Christian Council invite me to ask about the issue before going on air on the matter? I am shocked at how Rev Opuni handled this matter.

“I never blamed John Mahama over the death, I never said John Mahama used Captain Mahama for rituals, the tape of the interview is with Okay FM, where I granted the interview, everybody in the country can go and pick it up to listen to ascertain whether or not I made those comments.”

He further explained: “In the interview with Okay FM, I said the murder of the Captain was unfortunate and very worrying and that the perpetrators should be condemned by everyone. But one issue that came up which is very disturbing was the comments by the General Secretary of the NDC Johnson Asiedu Nkteia that Nana Addo should resign over the incident.

“I explained that when John Mahama was in office, similar atrocities happened but nobody called for his resignation. When JA Kufuor and JJ Rawlings were all in office, similar incidents happened. In the US, when George Bush was in office, there were several attacks on Americans but who called for the heads of these presidents? Nobody, and, so, Mr Asiedu Nketia should stop making those comments. That was all that I said in the interview with Okay FM that people have twisted on social media which Rev Opuni also reacted to in the media.”