Self-styled pastor defauds church members

Agona Swedru (C/R), May 11, GNA-The Agona Swedru Circuit Court on Monday remanded a self-styled pastor in prison custody for defrauding 20 members of Over Comers Church based in Gomoa Pomadzeof GHc41, 000.

Pastor Godfred Quansah from Agona Swedru pleaded not guilty to the charge and will re-appear on May 17.

Prosecution Police Chief Inspector Ivy A Agadia told the court presided over by Justice M. Osam that the complainant is Pastor Charles Andoh Otabil, Head Pastor of Over Comers Church based in Gomoa Pomadze.

Chief Inspector Agadia said in February 2011, the accused informed the complainant (Pastor Andoh Otabil) that he had been assigned by Rock of Ages Ministry, a church in the US, to recruit people to undertake theological studies in the US

He said 19 members of the church including the Pastor expressed interest.

They therefore paid monies totaling GHc41, 000 to the accused person to process their documents including passports and visas.

According Chief Inspector Agadia, the accused person brought 20 passports bearing the names of the victims to the complaint but later came for them for the processing of their visas.

The Prosecution said six months later the accused called the complainant and informed him that a delegation from the Rock Ministry in the US was in the country to meet them at their church premises on January 22 at Pomadze but when the members got there neither the delegation nor the accused showed up.

Chief Inspector Agabia said on April 21 the accused person again informed them that the delegation would be coming to meet them at the same venue but the members, suspecting Pastor Quansah of defaulting them, started demanding their monies from their Head Pastor.

The prosecution said Pastor Otabil reported the case to the Winneba Police who arrested the accused at his hideout at Agona Swedru and all the passports found were found to be fake.

GNA