From Inusa Musah, Tema
The Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service yesterday whisked away controversial man of God, Bishop Daniel Obinim from Tema and driven to their headquarters in Accra, after he was arrested for violently whipping two teenagers in his church.
Bishop Obinim had reported himself to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVSSU) of Tema Regional Police Command, after he was summoned by the police over the flogging.
Soon after reporting himself to the police, his church members started massing up, forcing the CID to whisk him away to Accra. The Chronicle later discovered that he was sent to the CID headquarters over the alleged fraud charge that has been brought against him by a victim.
Daniel Obinim holds his church service on Tuesdays in Tema, but because he could not meet his congregants at their worship center at Community ‘9’, following his alleged physical abuse of two minors of his church for fornicating, the church members, in solidarity with their ‘idol’, thronged the Tema Police Command thus giving the police a hell of time to control the crowd.
Spotting a well-tailored suit with a black pair of spectacles to match, Daniel Obinim stepped out of his car amidst loud cheers from his church members, who were at the venue as early as 7am.
Flanked by police personnel, the head pastor of God’s way International Church was ushered to the office of the Tema DOVSSU Coordinator while the anxious media and supporters of Daniel Obinim waited.
After close to about two hours, Daniel Obinim descended in handcuffs and was whisked away in a police vehicle. Addressing the media, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Juliana Obeng, said Daniel Obinim had been transferred to the national CID headquarters where the department would do further investigation into his matter.
ASP Obeng said no charge had been preferred against Mr. Obinim, however, he was cautioned on physical abuse. Two other persons with him, she explained, had been invited by the police for abetting in the same crime Bishop Obinim was cautioned on.
“As soon as the national CID department has finished with its investigations, a charge will be preferred against Daniel Obinim,” ASP Juliana Obeng concluded.
In a related development Joy News reports that the Criminal Investigative Department (CID) PRO, ASP Joseph Darkwa, has said Bishop Daniel Obinim was transferred from the Tema Police to the CID headquarters for further interrogation in a GH¢1.6 million fraud case.
He told Joy News a complainant came to the Police some few weeks ago 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 unable to give him back his money, so he reported the matter to Bishop Obinim to help him retrieve the money.
ASP Darkwa said it was based on this that Bishop Obinim asked him to bring the rest of the money but the Bishop did not do what he was expected to do, neither was he given his money.
