I was nearly lynched – Obinim

Bishop Daniel Obinim, founder of Godsway International Ministry, yesterday told an Accra high court that he was assaulted and pushed through the class doors of Hot FM, an Accra-based radio station, where he went to explain himself during a programme.

He told the court – presided over by Justice Abdulai Iddrisu, when he opened his defence on causing harm to a radio panelist – that but for the timely intervention of a police patrol team, he would have been lynched by a mob.

Bishop Obinim said this during his evidence-in-chief led by Ralph Adu Poku, his counsel. According to him, he went to the station to clarify issues on allegation of marital infidelity against him which was being discussed in the studio but was rather assaulted and pushed out of the place.

The accused person said on August 8, 2011 he was home and was informed that there was a programme at Hot FM and that the panelists were discussing issues relating to him so he called his two associate pastors to accompany him to the radio station.

He said upon getting there he asked his boys to stay outside while he entered the studio to ask to be given the chance to state his side of the story, but he was not allowed and was pushed out of the studio and assaulted.

Bishop Obinim said his associate pastors who were outside and heard what was happening, shouted for help, saying that the bishop was being assaulted.

He claimed that a mob arrived at the scene but also turned hostile and wanted to attack him, but for the police patrol team.

Furthermore, he said he was taken to the Adabraka Police Station where he was issued a form to attend hospital for medical treatment due to a few bruises he sustained.

The pastor said he never saw any crowbar at the station, neither did he have any bodily contact with Kwame Ntim Okatakyie, the host of the programme, Hya Asem Hwe, who alleged that he (Obinim) had harmed him.

A few weeks ago the court discharged the two associate pastors who were standing trial with him (Bishop Obinim) for allegedly vandalizing the property of Hot FM.

Pastors Kinsley Baah and Kofi Kwetey were let off the hook while their boss was asked to open his defence.

The bishop was discharged on seven counts of causing unlawful damage, unlawful entry and conspiracy to commit assault.