The General Secretary of the Ghana Charismatic Bishops’ Conference, Rev. Kwesi Deh, has urged the state to punish members of the clergy who involve themselves in criminal activities.
The viewpoint comes on the back of the arrest of founder of the Heaven Way International Church, Patricia Oduro, alias Nana Agradaa, who the Conference holds should be dealt with if found guilty of the crimes she is been accused of.
Rev. Kwesi Deh indicated that the Charismatic Bishops are in full support of the state punishing members of the clergy who commit crimes in the name of God.
He, however, stated that the state should not because of some miscreants impose unnecessary regulations on faith-based organizations, citinewsroom.com reports.
“It is possible for people in the name of religion to commit crime and fraud. Thank God Ghana is a very civilized society and there are laws governing all these crimes. Therefore, I think that the laws should deal with this issue.
“Churches in this country are the most orderly set. Yes, there are miscreants. Also, churches are not afraid of regulation, it is the type of regulation that is being talked about that we are against. Many churches are registered. What we are against are laws that will define the practice of things.
“If someone involves in a money-doubling scam, that should not bring up the issue of regulation of churches. It is not a religious action in the first place,” Rev Deh is quoted to have said.
Meanwhile, an Accra Circuit Court has denied the founder and leader of Heaven Way Champion International Ministries, Patricia Oduro Koranteng, bail.
Agradaa was arrested by the police on Sunday, October 9, 2022, on suspicion of defrauding her church members in an alleged money-doubling scheme.
According to a 3news.com report sighted by GhanaWeb, the court denied her bail on Monday and adjourned her case to Thursday, October 13, 2022.
The Ghana Police Service on Sunday, October 9, 2022, arrested Nana Agradaa, now known as Evangelist Mama Pat.
This was announced in a statement by the Service shared via its social media handles on Sunday, October 9, 2022.
“The Police have arrested Patricia Asiedua alias Nana Agradaa following allegations of money doubling scam levelled against her by some members of the public. The suspect is currently assisting police investigation,” the statement said.
Nana Agradaa’s arrest comes on the back of allegations made by scores of her church members, who claimed that she had scammed them after an all-night service.
The former fetish priestess had advertised in a viral video that she was going to give out monies to people who would attend her all night church service on Friday, October 7, 2022.
Things however did not go as planned for many of the people who attended the service as many of them cried foul that they had given out monies to her but she failed to keep to her side of the agreement.
Source: ghanaweb.com