Pastor/organist and his wife charged with stealing

Koforidua (Eastern Region) - A self-styled pastor/organist and his wife on Tuesday appeared before a Koforidua circuit tribunal charged with stealing musical instruments and clothes belonging to the World Vision Christian Church at Koforidua.

The accused persons, Denis Laryea and Kate Laryea pleaded guilty.

Denis was remanded in prison custody to reappear on September 18, while Kate was granted a 1.5 million cedi self - cognisance bail by the tribunal presided over by Mr. Simon Suurebaarh.

The tribunal head that in April this year, Denis introduced himself to the leaders of the church as an organist and pastor from Liberia and that he and his wife wanted to be members of the church.

The church leaders accepted them and gave them a temporary place to lodge while efforts were being made to give them a permanent accommodation.

Four days later Denis went to the keeper of the church's musical instruments and took sound mixtures, a tape recorder and a microphone on the pretext that he was going to do a recording.

Kate also packed all the clothes in their lodging place and the two bolted to Takoradi. They used the stolen items as collateral to secure a loan of 600,000 cedis from one George to cater for their sick baby.

The prosecution said on September 1, this year, the church leaders had a tip off that the accused persons were hiding at Somanya. They lodged a complaint with the police and the couple was arrested at their hideout.