Police Investigate Bishop Bonegas For Unlawful Use Of Dispatch Rider

The police are investigating the conduct of Bishop Daniel Kwame Kissi Bonegas, the Founder and Overseer of the Great Fire Pentecostal International Ministry, for allegedly engaging a policeman for guard duties without authority.

The policeman, Lance Corporal Benjamin Akyea Mensah, is also being investigated for providing guard duties for Bishop Bonegas without permission.

Bishop Bonegas has subsequently been invited by the police to assist with investigations.

Authorised engagement of police
A statement signed by the Director-General in charge of Administration, Commissioner of Police (COP) Ms Rose Bio Atinga, said it had come to the attention of the police that some members of the public, notably some religious leaders, businessmen and other influential personalities, were resorting to unauthorised use of policemen as bodyguards, security guards and escorts.“The Police Administration wishes to state that such engagements are unlawful,” it said.

It advised members of the public to desist from such unlawful engagements of police personnel.

It further advised that persons with peculiar security concerns should contact the appropriate police authorities for the necessary action.

‘He is not my bodyguard’
But speaking to the Daily Graphic, Bishop Bonegas said the allegations were not true.

According to him, Lance Corporal Mensah was a member of the church and usher.

“I have never used him as a bodyguard or guard at the church. He is an usher of the church, together with some other police and military men. He has been a member of the church for more than three years.

“I have three personal bodyguards who travel with me anywhere and are also with me at church service,” he added.

According to him, the said police officer was like his adopted son and the relationship between them was to the extent that Lance Corporal Mensah had named one of his children after him (Bishop Bonegas).

“Because we are very close, he sometimes comes to my house.

“I have never paid him to work as a bodyguard. He has never travelled with me anywhere as a bodyguard,” he said.

He admitted that Lance Corporal Mensah wore uniform to church but he was not the only person who came to church in uniform.

He said the church employed its own security personnel who provided guard duties at the church and its project site to ensure that its property was not stolen.

He said the first time the church had a police presence was during the Easter season, with the authorisation of the Ghana Police Service.

Police dispatch rider
In a related development, the police said they were investigating the conduct of the police dispatch rider and a driver who were captured in a video in which some associates of some football stars misconducted themselves.

A statement issued by the police explained that it approved an official request for security escort from Gold Star Consult for national and international football stars travelling to Kumasi for a football fiesta, an event in support of the Kumasi Children’s Hospital.

It said on Saturday, June 19, 2015, a convoy of the celebrities left the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange for Kumasi and in the course of the journey the video circulating on social media was shot by persons now identified as associates of some of those stars and were part of the convoy.

It said the necessary action would be taken after the investigations.