"Jesus One Touch" pleads not guilty to incest and defilement

Accra, March 17, GNA - Nana Kofi Yirenkyi, also known as, "Jesus One Touch", Founder and General Overseer of Jesus Blood Ministry at Oblogo near Accra, has pleaded not guilty to incest and defilement.

Earlier, he was charged with incest but when he appeared before a Circuit Court in Accra on Wednesday he was additionally charged with defilement for allegedly having sex with his 10-year-old daughter. Nana Yirenkyi has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

The court presided over by Mrs. Georgina Mensah-Datsa declined to the bail application put in by his lawyers and remanded him into police custody to reappear on March 23.

The court ruled in a well packed court that it did not see any special circumstances to grant bail to the accused person.

During today's proceedings, prosecution told the court that they could not start hearing as their witness was absent.

According to prosecution, the witness was coming from Dawu in the Easter Region. Mr K. N. Adomako Acheampong lead counsel for the accused said the defence had taken notice of the brief facts before the court and was aware of the= fact that the charge of defilement fell under non-bailable offences. However, Mr. Acheampong said, bail could be granted in cases with special circumstances pointing out that prosecution was not sure of the time that= the trial would commence.

According to him, both the new and old charge sheets had the same facts attached, adding, that portrayed some doubts about the prosecution's case= .. Mr. Acheampong said the facts did not give any indication of a prima fac= ie case. "If there was any evidence of defilement of the victim, the facts ought to have included that."

He contended that the case was regarded as a black mail adding, the defe= nce was ready to oblige any conditions that the Court may deem fit in grantin= g bail. The case of prosecution was that the complainant was Madam Bernice Owire= dua Sanaa.

The victim, who was born out of wedlock, lived with the mum until 2005 w= hen she left to live with the father at MacCarthy Hills in Accra to attend school. Prosecution said between, 2008 and 2009, accused started having sex with= the victim before church service each time.

In November 2009, accused granted the opportunity to the victim's mother= to talk to her because she had put up a bad character. It was during the interaction that the victim revealed her ordeal to her=

mum. The victim was initially examined by a Medical Doctor and later transfer= red to the Police Hospital for further treatment.