"Jesus Abrantie" granted bail in attempted rape case

Tarkwa (W/R) March 25, GNA - A circuit court has granted Akwasi Asiedu, alias "Jesus Abrantie," bail in the sum of GH¢20,000 with two sureties to re-appear on March 30.

The court also ordered him to surrender his passport and two passport-sized- photographs together with the sureties. The bail was granted following an earlier application filed by the counsel of the accused, Bright Baiden on March 13, 2009. Pastor Asiedu is standing trial for attempting to rape a married woman.

He was arrested by the Wassa Akropong Police and was referred to Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVSU) of the Tarkwa Divisional Police Command for prosecution. Giving the facts of the case, Chief Inspector Anthony Danso said the complainant, a 35-year old married woman, visited Pastor Asiedu's Prayer Fellowship for spiritual assistance.

He said after the woman had told the accused her problem, Pastor Asiedu asked her to kneel down for prayers, adding, after a while, he asked her to undress and smeared her body with anointing oil and dipped his finger into the oil and inserted it in her genitals. The accused then asked her to lie on his bed and close her eyes in a guest house, where the prayer and counselling were taking place. Inspector Danso stated that the woman pretended to have closed her eyes but peeped at the Pastor. So when she saw the pastor naked with an erected penis she quickly dressed up rushed out of the room to report the matter to the police, who arrested the pastor.