Court remands ARS pastor, five others for causing harm
A Circuit Court at Tokor, Ketu South has remanded a 42-year-old Reverend Gilbert Korney, the Presiding Pastor of Apostles Revelation Society (ARS) Headquarters, Tadzewu into Police custody for causing harm.
Along with him were five others; Raymond Wovenu, 52 (a businessman), and Harry Atsu Wovenu, 36 (unemployed), children of the High Priest Nyeenyami Etse Wovenu of the ARS Church, Dzodze, Mathew Lartey, 31 (a farmer), Otto Tormetsi, 89 and Victor Dzisenu, 80, securities of the Church.
Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Mcrae Pomevor narrated to the court presided over by Mr Joseph Ofosu Behome, that on August 10, 2024, Superintendent Eric Vondee, the acting Dzodze District Police Commander (the complainant) was assisted by ASP James Anaman, the Ketu Divisional Motor Transport and Traffic Department Commander to lead a contingent of 32 Police personnel to Tadzewu.
This was after the leadership of the ARS had written to the Police to provide security for its delegates Conference.
He said on arrival at the ARS headquarters, supporters of the High Priest numbering about 20 including the accused persons had locked all the gates to the yard, where the said conference was to take place.
Chief Inspector Pomevor said an attempt by one of the organisers to open the main gate was met by the accused persons and others now at large, who started pelting the Police and other civilians with them with “stones and petrol bombs” with some of the accused persons using “catapults to pelt the Police and other civilians with stones.”
“Even though the Police could have been justified in using firearms in their possession to defend themselves, complainant prevailed on the officers in a professional manner not to use any firearm against the accused persons. The complainant sought to engage the accused persons to stop what they were doing but all to no avail.
In the process, A4 (Mathew) pelted stones and hit D/Sgt Edward Quansah’s mouth causing him to lose some of his teeth. The accused persons not satisfied, also threw stones and petrol bombs at all the vehicles used to convey police personnel to the location including Nissan Pathfinder with registration number GR 1796 – 7 belonging to one of the organisers.”
“Some of these stones and petrol bombs hit complainant’s vehicle, Toyota Hilux with registration number GC 7669 – 20 causing extensive damage to the left windscreen, the fender, and the left side passenger door. Some of the petrol bombs also landed in the bucket of the said vehicle burning the leather used to cover the bucket,” Prosecution added.
The accused persons rang their church bell to draw the town folks to the scene when the Police tried putting their vehicles to safety to prevent further damage to them.
While the Police tried to engage the town folks, Mathew attempted stoning ASP Anaman with catapult but missed target, hitting rather, one of the town folks named Mr Kudjoe Hadza injuring him severely.
Chief Inspector Pomevor said the Police then retreated and made a report at the Dzodze Police Station, which was later transferred to the Divisional Headquarters at Tokor.
The first four accused persons were subsequently arrested, while the last two were brought by their Legal Counsel, Mr Jonathan Adzokpe.
Mr Ofosu Behome, the Presiding Judge remanded the suspects based on the prosecution’s argument that investigation was ongoing and that some of the accused persons were still at large and asked the accused persons to reappear on October 09, 2024.
Mr Adzokpe in an interview with Ghana News Agency expressed his discontentment with the remand of his clients, who pleaded not guilty, deeming their arrest as “a swoop action by the Police” saying, he would consider an inclusion of alibi.
“The Police did not see any of them on the day of the incident. At least, two of them were nowhere close. I see this attempt to be after the opponent of the leader of the Church to clip his wings.”
The Apostles Revelation Society (founded in 1939), the first church to accept African values and customs against conventional Christian theology of the time, has been embroiled in a protracted litigation over its leadership following the demise of its founder Mawu fe Ame Charlse Kwablavi Nutornti Wovenu.
Source: GNA