Pastor remanded for sodomy

Pastor Prince Mark Amoah, Head Pastor of the New Jerusalem Religion in Tema, has been remanded into prison custody by the Tema Circuit Court ‘B’ for allegedly sodomizing and infecting a police officer’s 14-year-old son with HIV.

Amoah, 32, would re-appear on September 6, 2013. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of having unnatural canal knowledge and infecting the victim with HIV.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Marjorie Otabil prosecuting the case told the court presided over by Mr Bart Plange-Brew that the complainant is a police officer in Tema and father of the victim who joined Amoah’s Church a year ago.

She said the complainant, who became a good friend to the accused person, allowed his son to spend holidays with Amoah between November and December 2012 in Tema Community “4” upon the request of the accused person.

ASP Otabil said in January this year, the victim complained of sickness after returning home from the holidays.

The victim was then sent to the Tema General Hospital where he tested HIV positive.

ASP Otabil said upon interrogation by the doctor, the victim revealed that he was sodomized five times by Amoah during his stay with him.

On July 31, 2013, she said, the complainant lodged a complaint with the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service in Tema, and a medical form was issued to the victim.

The prosecutor said the accused was subsequently arrested and in his cautioned statement he admitted sodomizing the victim once.

ASP Otabil said Amoah was also pronounced HIV positive after a test was conducted on him at the Tema General Hospital.