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Obinim Arrested For Defrauding Under False Pretence

By MyJoyOnline
Headlines Obinim Arrested For Defrauding Under False Pretence
AUG 23, 2016 LISTEN

Controversial Preacher Bishop Daniel Obinim has been transferred from the Tema Police to the CID headquarters for further interrogations in a GH¢11.6 million fraud case.

Bishop Obinim has spent the entire day today at the Tema Regional Police’s premises as they begun investigations into an earlier case of him flogging two church members.

In the latest case, the Tema Police arrested him for defrauding under false pretense.

According to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) PRO, ASP Joseph Darkwa, a complainant came to the Tema Police some few weeks ago to report that he gave an amount of GH¢780,000 to Okomfo Gyapata of Mampong Nkwanta near Koforidua in the Eastern Region to do a spiritual ritual to bless the money.

"According to the complainant, after some time, he realised that the Okomfo was not able to help him neither was he able to give him back his money, so he came to Bishop Obinim to report the matter so the Bishop would help him retrieve the money and do the rituals to bless the money for him," he said.

ASP Darkwa said it was based on that that Bishop Obinim asked him to bring the rest of the gold money which amounted to GH¢11.6 million belonging to the family.

The complaint told the police since he gave the money to the Bishop, he has not been able to do what he was expected to do neither was he given his money.

The complainant said he gave the money to Okomfo Gyapata on November 28, 2015, but the money he gave to Bishop Obinim was in June this year.

The CID PRO told Joy News' Dzifa Bampoh on Newsnite that the complainant has not lodged a complaint against Okomfo Gyapata as yet but if it becomes necessary that they have to involve him they would do so.

"We have just commerce investigation into this issue, when we finish we will hand him over to Domestic Violence Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) to investigate the domestic violence issue," ASP Darkwa said.

Related: Tema Police issue 24-hour ultimatum to Bishop Obinim to report

A video of the man of God flogging the two with a belt went viral on social media recently, drawing widespread criticism.

Bishop Obinim has defended the action insisting they deserved it for engaging in fornication and attempting an abortion.

The Gender and Social Protection Ministry filed an official complaint with the police to investigate the issue.

Tema Police PRO Juliana Obeng told Joy News that last week Friday, the Tema Tema Regional Police through its DOVVSU department sent a letter to the Bishop to report to their offices for some questioning concerning his recent saga which he failed to honour.

"He reported this morning and we spoke to him and have cautioned him on physical abuse...he has been taken to the national headquarters CID for further questioning. Meanwhile, his two other pastors who were seen in the video have also been cautioned except that the third pastor is yet to report," she said.

The congression waiting for him to lead service at the Tema Community 9 branch were disappointed as the junior pastors throng the police station and they registered their disappointment upon seeing him handcuffed into a police car to be transferred to Accra.

Watch the video of his arrest

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