Founder of International God
An Accra Circuit Court (Domestic Violence and Gender-Based Division) has warned Bishop Daniel Obinim, Founder of International God’s Way Church, to stop giving excuses of being sick and come to court.
The presiding judge, Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku, said the excuses were many and charged Bishop Obinim to be present at the next adjourned date.
Bishop Obinim, together with two of his pastors, is standing trial for allegedly assaulting his adopted children – a 14-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy in the presence of his congregation.
He has on many occasions absented himself from the trial and the court was often told that he had been admitted at the hospital.
In court yesterday, Rev Kwadjo Adu Boahen, a member of the church, who represented Bishop Obinim, said that he (Obinim) was sick and that his driver had to take him to the hospital, hence his absence.
But the judge, who was not convinced by the explanation said, “Tell him the excuses of him getting sick are getting too many. At the next sitting I expect to see him.”
The second accused person, Kingsley Baah, was also absent and the court was informed that he was no longer with the International God’s Way Church and that nobody knew of his whereabouts.
It was Solomon Abraham, another pastor and third accused, who came to court.
Meanwhile, the prosecution, led by DSP George Amega, has prayed the court for an extension of time to prepare new and amended witness summons to serve on their witnesses – the victims in the case.
The police are struggling to locate the whereabouts of the two to come and testify in court.
As a result, the prosecutor had served the witness summons on the church administrator who initially brought the victims to the police station when the incident occurred.
But Bishop Obinim’s lawyer, Ralph Opoku Adusei, returned the criminal summons to the police.
According to him, it is not the duty of his clients to provide the prosecution with the whereabouts of the victims.
He said there is no legal provision for an accused person to assist the prosecution to build their case.
The matter has taken over one month adjournment as the prosecutor told the court he was going on leave.
Hearing continues on June 20, 2018.
