Reverend Minister remanded

Accra Sept. 21, GNA - An Accra Circuit Court on Wednesday remanded a Reverend Minister and another into prison custody for assaulting a mason over a parcel of land at Oyarifa, near Madina

Christopher Sowah Okpoti, Minister of International Faith Church, Oyarifa and Boye Sowah, an electrician, pleaded not guilty to assault. They are to reappear on September 26. Prosecuting Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr Eric Amoako told the court that the complainant, Mr Emmanuel Togah, a mason, resided at Oyarifa with the two accused persons.

He said on August 19, 2005, one Nii Mensah Kodia asked Mr Togah to go and work on his land at Oyarifa.

The following day, the Prosecution said Mr Togah recruited some persons to assist him to work on the said land. DSP Amoako said while the complainants were working the accused persons and others, now at large, stormed the site and asked them to halt work on the plot. Prosecution said before Mr Togah could utter a word, the accused persons gave him several hefty slaps. Mr Togah reported the matter to the Police and accused persons were arrested. They were granted Police enquiry bail to be reporting to the Police but they failed to do so. Prosecution said accused persons were, therefore, served with criminal summons to appear before the court.