COURT RULES ON ‘EYE OF THE LORD ORPHANAGE’ SAGA

The Nsawam District Magistrate Court, in the Eastern Region, has finally issued its verdict on the controversial ‘Eye of the Lord Orphanage’ saga, put before the court by the Department of the Social Welfare, to call to order, the proprietor of the orphanage, Samuel Kwarpong Darko, for operating the facility without a license.

After months of adjournments, the Nsawam District Magistrate Court, looking into the issue, finally ruled that Mr. Kwapong Darko had committed a criminal offence, since it did not have a license, and however fined him an amount GH420.00, coupled with signing a bond, to be of good behavior.

Readers would recall from previous publications by your authoritative New Crusading GUIDE, revealing the plight of about 60 children, guised as orphans under the mercy of visually impaired Samuel Kwarpong Darko , who also referred to himself as the Otoase ‘Blind Messiah’ .

The expose’ hinted at how a documentary was stage-managed to attract donors; the supposed orphans were asked to show their ribs and naked bodies in order to appeal to the conscience of philanthropists.

About thirty of the kids, according to the documentary slept in a single room, bathed with one sponge and a towel, a situation which could have clearly spread communicable diseases among them.

Other subsequent publications also exposed how the proprietor of the facility and his wife had registered their own child and other 17 children from relatives as orphans in his ‘orphanage’.

Officials from the Department of the Social Welfare, accompanied by a delegation from the office of the Regional Minister and the Police, stormed the facility immediately after the publication, but to their surprise,

Mr. Kwapong Darko with the help of his wife, managed to escape with the kids.

The Social Welfare Officials, upon the bizarre and unhygienic conditions recorded, closed down the facility and however issued a 7 day ultimatum, for the proprietor to produce verse and chapters on the kids.

Mrs. Comfort Asare, the Deputy Director of the Social Welfare Department said her outfit was able to trace the supposed ‘orphans’ to their parents, and were however sensitized against the dangers involved in putting their children into such conditions.

In an interview with this reporter, she said although it was a laudable cause on the part of the media to bring to light children in needy situations, it would be more helpful if proper clarifications were done, so as to not serve as platforms for unscrupulous people who use kids as gold mines.