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Pastor before court for defiling public restrictions order

The General Overseer of Open Arms Ministry at North Suntreso in Kumasi, Apostle Kofi Nkansah Sarkodie has appeared before a district court here, charged with unlawful assembly and breach of public peace.

He was arrested for the second time for defying the directives by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on public restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

With him in the dock, was his son, Kofi Nkansah Senior,  the administrator of the church. 

The two pleaded not guilty to the charges and the court, presided by Mrs Rosemarie Afua Asante, granted them bail of GH¢10,000.00 with two sureties to reappear on March 26, 2020.

The President had directed that there should be no social gatherings such as weddings, funerals, church service, and sporting activities, all towards controlling the spread of the COVID-19. 

But, the pastor, also known as Saint Sark, would not budge and held church service for which he was arrested on March 19, 2020 and granted bail.

Four days after he was granted bail, he went ahead and held church service again leading to his re-arrest and subsequently put before the court. 

Before the accused were granted bail, the prosecutor, Police Chief Inspector Kofi Blagodzi, noted that, the fact that Apostle Sarkodie was granted police inquiry bail but went back to disregard the President’s public restrictions order was a deliberate attempt on his part to disrespect the law and so “if we do not try to curb this, it is going to create chaos and anarchy.”

However, the counsel for the accused, Mr John Brefo, who did not agree to the submission of the prosecution pleaded for bail for his clients as he argued that, the facts presented were contradictory and he was going to prove that at the appropriate time.

Chief Inspector Blagodzi presenting the facts of the case said, Apostle Nkansah and Nkansah Snr. on March 22, 2020 at about 10:30am were arrested by the police after the police was informed that, the accused was holding a church service at the premises of the church four days after he was arrested and granted police inquiry bail for defying the order of the President on the ban of all religious activities across the country.

According to Chief Inspector Blagodzi, the two, when arrested, said they were holding a church meeting with 23 others who are at large.

The Ghanaian Times reported on March 19, 2020 that, a police team was dispatched to the premises of the church on Tuesday, March 18, 2020 in the morning after they received complaints of an ongoing activity inspite of the ban which formed part of the drastic measures taken by the government to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Apostle Nkansah was said to have organised a prayer meeting with some members of his congregation on that day flouting the directive of the President on public gathering.

The congregants, said to be in hundreds tried to prevent the police from effecting the arrest, but the police managed to pick up the pastor as some of the members hooted and others clapped at the police when they escorted the pastor into the police van.

FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI 
 

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