Evangelist hospitalised following mob attack

Techiman (B/A), Jan. 17, GNA - An evangelist and founder of the Dwankobea Bible Study Prayer Camp at Jama Tempone in Techiman is on admission at the Holy Family Hospital in critical condition following a mob attack on him in the early hours of Monday.

Evangelist Owusu Fordjour is a member of Kwatenako family of the Techiman Gyaasi stool and had allegedly attempted to install a chief and steal the black stool of the Gyaasihene of the Techiman Traditional Area in November last year.

The unidentified assailants allegedly brutally assaulted him as he went round the municipality with a public address system announcing the burial of the late Gyaasihene, Nana Oti Asare Baffour II, who died last year.

A 207 Benz bus with registration number BA 129 P belonging to the evangelist and the public address system were vandalized by the rampaging youth.

The attack was alleged to have been sparked by the evangelist's outburst that the Omanhene of Techiman Traditional Area, Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw IV could not stand in the way of the burial of the late Gyaasihene and that he (Evangelist), as a royal head of the Kwatenako family was to bury the late chief without the involvement of the traditional council, which was not part of the Gyaasi stool.

When contacted the Omanhene denied knowledge of the attack on the "man of God," adding that he was not even in Techiman at the weekend. Oseadeeyo Akumfi said he had reported the decision of the evangelist to bury the late Gyaasihene without the consent of the traditional council to the police.

He noted that the evangelist preached against traditional norms and practices including the worship of the shrine of 'bokyerewa', the deity in Techiman and could therefore not claim to be Gyaasihene. Police Chief Inspector Samson Jeboni in Techiman confirmed the incident but said no arrests had been made.