Pastor beats woman in front of the police

Kade, Jan. 14, GNA - A Pastor who quarrelled with a woman and assaulted her in front of the Kade Police District Headquarters was on Thursday arraigned before the Kade District Magistrate's Court. Herbert Adom Danquah, the Pastor, is charged with unlawfully assaulting Esther Frimpomaa.

In the dock with the Pastor was Linda Oforiwa, a seamstress and daughter of Frimpomaa, who was said to have gone to defend the mother and was charged with an act tending to disturb the peace. Whereas the pastor pleaded guilty with explanation to the two counts, Oforiwa also pleaded guilty with explanation to the charged she faced.

However, the Magistrate, Mr Abdul Majid Iliasu, entered a plea of not guilty for them, granted bail of GH¢ 800 with one surety to the Pastor, while the seamstress had a GH¢ 600 bail with a surety. Prosecuting, Police Inspector Francis Asare-Cobbina said Oforiwa was a seamstress at Boadua while Danquah was a Pastor of the Baptist Church in Kumasi.

He said Oforiwa's mother, Frimpomaa, had instituted a civil suit against the Pastor over a plot of land, which was pending before the Magistrate's court at Kade.

Inspector Asare-Cobbina said on December 16, last year, Frimpomaa and the Pastor accompanied by their followers appeared before the court over the issue and after the close of proceedings, the two parties exchanged insults.

On reaching the roadside just in front of the District Police Headquarters the Pastor hit Frimpomaa on the face with a fist which sent her sprawling on the ground.

He said Oforiwa, seeing that her mother had been knocked down, rushed to lift her up and in the process, a confrontation ensured between her and the pastor and they fought. Inspector Asare-Cobbina said their action drew the attention of the police and other members of the public adding that the Police had no option but to arrest them.

Counsel for the Pastor, Mr Agyapong Baah, said the facts adduced by the prosecution were "chocked with inaccuracies" and that the trial would make that evident.

Mr A. Y. Nyarko-Adu, who said he was a friend of the Court, asked the court to discharge Oforiwa for she only went in to save the mother, which was legally right.