We’re happy Obinim flogged us - Teenagers

The teenagers who were flogged during a church service by Bishop Daniel Obinim for engaging in pre-marital sex have expressed gratitude to the controversial pastor for the punishment that was meted out to them.

The teenagers, Eliasu Zakari,16, and Justina Nhyiraba Gyasiwaa, 14, in an interview with OBTV expressed remorse for the conduct that led to the punishment.

"We admit that what we did was wrong and our father Obinim was right in disciplining us in church...when we heard Ghanaians condemning the action of Bishop, we were very hurt because we came to the realization that we did the wrong thing and he was right in correcting me. We were happy he corrected us by punishing us and we will not engage in such acts again. Comments by people condemning bishop will rather prevent him from catering for us,” Gyasiwaa stated.

Obinim is currently facing charges including, a charge of assault after the video of the flogging exercise went viral on social media. He has however been granted bail after he was arrested on Tuesday for assault. He spent two nights in cells.

Background

The Founder and General Overseer of the International God's Way Church, Bishop Daniel Obinim, on Wednesday,August 17 caused an uproar after being seen in a video flogging a hapless pregnant girl and her boyfriend.

The controversial pastor who was angered by the couple’s amorous activity which has led to a pregnancy took the law into his hands and lashed the youngman on his bare back before turning to the girl flogging her mercilessly with a belt in the full glare of his congregation.

Throughout the brutal punishment, Obinim is heard questioning the jobless youngman why he got the girl pregnant when he has no finances for her upkeep and the upbringing of the unborn child.

The girl who was unable to stand the flogging attempts to escape, but she was held by henchmen of the Bishop to enable the bishop mete out more beatings.

After subjecting the two to severe flogging for several minutes, Obinim ordered his junior pastors to remove their belts and subject the couple to more flogging.