(DAILY GRAPHIC) — The leader of God’s Way International Ministry, Bishop Daniel Obinim, was yesterday granted Ghc10,000 bail with one surety by the Accra High Court for allegedly causing harm and destruction of property of a private radio station in Accra.
Bishop Obinim has been charged with his two associate pastors Kingsley Baah and Kofi Akwettey with eight counts including the use of an offensive weapon and causing harm to two journalists at an Accra-based radio station, Hot FM.
The two associate pastors were each granted Ghc10,000 bail with one surety. They are to reappear before the court presided over by Mr Justice Abdulai Iddrisu, on November 6, 2013. They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Bishop Obinim and his two associate pastors were discharged by the Accra Circuit Court last week after the Attorney-General filed a nolle-prosequi in an assault case against them.
They were, however, rearrested by the police. But the Bishop denied the allegation that he was rearrested by the police last Friday, moments after the Accra Circuit Court had discharged him.
“Nothing like that happened after the court ruling,” he told the Daily Graphic at Kwabre Kenyasi, near Kumasi, last Sunday.
However, Daily Graphic checks at the Adabraka Police Station indicated that Bishop Obinim was actually arrested last Friday.
The Bishop and his associates were initially facing five charges of conspiracy to commit crime, unlawful entry, causing damage to a private property and assault.
According to a State Prosecutor, Ms Joyce Debrah, the damages caused by the accused persons to the equipment at Hot FM studios were estimated at Ghc138,050.
The items destroyed included a voice processor, Telos Hybria, two CD players, headphone distributor, telephone sets, laptops and electro voice microphone, among other items.
The accused persons, on Monday August 8, 2011, stormed the studios of Hot FM and attacked Paul Kwame Ntim Okatakyie, the host of ‘Nya Asem Hwe’ programme and a panel member, Shadrach Adu.
One of the topics being discussed on the programme at the time was the alleged sex scandal involving Bishop Obinim.
In the course of the discussion, Bishop Obinim’s alleged tape recording about the issue was played on air and issues about his wife and his pastors were also discussed.
Bishop Obinim and his accomplices, who were offended by the said discussion, allegedly stormed the Adabraka-based radio station with a crow-bar and sticks.
He allegedly attacked the staff, vandalised studio equipment and inflicted injuries on the host and other panelists including Rev. William Amoako-Atta.
Prior to filing the nolle-prosequi, the state had called in three witnesses including Paul Kwame Ntim Okatakyie, the host of ‘Nya Asem Hwe’ programme, an Akan programme on the station, and Frank Boateng Danso.
In the course of the trial at the court, his lawyer hinted that Obinim wanted an out-of-court settlement and further disclosed to the court that there were some negotiations going on behind the scenes to get the matter resolved amicably.
However, that arrangement did not materialise.