The police in Obuasi have arrested a 56-year-old pastor of Precious Grace Ministry International in the municipality for allegedly defrauding five members of his church of more than GH¢10,000.
Apostle John Ouls, after winning the trust and confidence of the church members, preyed on their vulnerability through the use of the pulpit to defraud the victims under the pretext of securing admission at the Kumasi Nursing Training College popularly known as Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) Nursing School in Kumasi.
He remains in the custody of the police after a court remanded him to reappear before it on Friday.
DSP Kwabena Otuo-Acheampong, Obuasi Divisional Crime Officer, told DAILY GUIDE the man of God, under the guise of a fake admission drive, announced to the church congregation through his wife that he had protocol admission slots on offer for any interested persons.
According to the police chief, when his unsuspecting victims approached him in chambers, Apostle John Ouls explained that it was his medical doctor friend by name Kerry Appiah at KATH who could get them admission to the nursing training school.
He, therefore, demanded them to pay various sums of money, ranging between GH¢1,500 and GH¢2,800 under the pretext of facilitating their admission to the nursing school, DSP Otuo-Acheampong said.
The Crime Officer narrated that the suspect managed to convince five members of his congregation to ‘apply’ for the admission after introducing to them the said Dr. Kerry Appiah.
He explained that while three of the victims directly paid their monies to the pastor, the rest gave theirs to the so- called doctor who promised to get them admission letters before September 15, 2013 the date which the school was to reopen.
DSP Otuo-Acheampong continued that while the date for the school’s reopening was drawing near, the curious victims began to call the said Kerry Appiah, whom they could not either reach on phone or locate at KATH where the pastor had claimed he was working.
They subsequently lodged a complaint with the police leading to the arrest of the suspect, the police boss added.
The Crime Officer said Apostle Ouls admitted collecting monies from the victims and handing over same to the said Kerry Appiah during police interrogation, and explained that the fake doctor had also bolted away with his GH¢3,500 which was meant to facilitate the trip of his 17-year-old daughter to abroad.
The police officer asserted that the suspect claimed he had known the fake doctor through his daughter in SHS form two who introduced Kerry to them (parents) as a doctor friend.
DSP Otuo-Acheampong stated that the pastor claimed Kerry approached her daughter sometime ago and introduced himself as a medical doctor at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, who had no sibling, and, therefore, wanted to have his daughter as a friend.
He told DAILY GUIDE that Apostle Ouls alleged Kerry came to his house later to introduce himself to the family during which Kerry made them the offer of admission to KATH Nursing Training School since he had three protocol admission slots there.
