'Rapist' pastor arrested

A 20-year-old self-styled pastor, who is said to have drugged and raped two women at Mankranso in the Ahafo Ano South District of the Ashanti Region, has been remanded into police custody by the Mankranso Magistrate Court.

The accused person, Dacosta Owusu Tawiah, reportedly gave the victims (name withheld) some drink laced with Diazepam, popularly known as ‘blue-blue’ and raped them.

He was remanded into police custody by the Mankranso Magistrate Court, presided over by John Ayivor after pleading not guilty to charges of rape and stealing.

He is expected to reappear on Tuesday, November 21, 2017.

ASP Juliana Obeng, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ashanti Regional Police Command, told the media that Dacosta Owusu Tawiah, 20, raped two women after posing as a pastor of God’s Salvation Church situated at Anyinasusu, near Tepa in the Ahafo Ano North District.

On November 2, 2017, the police spokesperson said the accused person met two victims at Mankranso in the Ahafo Ano South District and told them he had prophesies about them.

ASP Juliana narrated that the accused allegedly informed the duo, who were colleagues in a hospital that they were being trailed by some evil spirits, and that one of them, aged 30, had been given out for spiritual marriage, and therefore offered to help them get out of their supposed spiritual predicaments.

The police officer continued that Dacosta Owusu Tawiah visited the victims in their homes separately to ostensibly exorcise the evil spirits during which he gave them concoction laced with Diazepam.

ASP Juliana indicated that the accused person took advantage of their dizziness and had sexual intercourse with them, stressing that he stole a Samsung mobile phone and its charger, a Bluetooth speaker and cash of GH?150 belonging to the 26-year-old woman.

The accused also made the 30-year-old woman to also part with GH?50 to be used to buy anointing oil and other stuff for spiritual cleansing, the police spokesperson said.

Hs asserted that Tawiah was arrested on November 10, 2017 at Abuakwa in the Atwima-Nwabiagya District after he attempted to use the same tactics to rape the third victim, who had prior information about his activities.

A search conducted in his residence revealed the stolen Samsung mobile phone and its charger, ASP Juliana Obeng stated.

The police command believes other persons might have fallen prey to the accused and they should provide information for his prompt prosecution in court, she added.