Crime & Punishment of Wednesday, 17 June 2015

Source: Daily Guide

Pastor's own armed robbery confession lands him in trouble

Evangelist Alhassan Ibrahim Evangelist Alhassan Ibrahim

A self-styled man of God in Kumasi, who openly made derogatory remarks about the security agencies including the police, military and the prison service live on radio, is in deep trouble.

Evangelist Alhassan Ibrahim, 38, was arrested by the police and arraigned before the Asokwa Magistrate Court with the charge of ‘publication of false news.’

He had since been granted bail to re-appear on June 24.

He boldly said on Sunsum FM in Kumasi that he was once the president of Armed Robbers Association in Ghana, alleging that they (robbers) managed to get some of their members enlisted into the police and military.

According to him, the robbers that were enlisted into the police and military always assisted other miscreants with rifles and crucial information that helped them to carry out high profile robberies.

Evangelist Ibrahim also claimed that a prison officer at Nsawam supplied him with Indian hemp which he sold to the inmates whilst he (Ibrahim) was serving a 20-year prison term.

He alleged that the Indian hemp business was so lucrative that the said prison officer managed to build a house from the proceeds of the illegal trade.

The evangelist also claimed he used to travel to Benin where he once used a pregnant woman’s heart for voodoo, also known as ‘Juju’, to fortify himself and enhance his robbery business at a shrine.

The man of God, who is said to be jumping from one church to another in the city, said he also used dead infants for voodoo purposes when he was active in the robbery business.

The Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Kofi Boakye, who became alarmed after listening to the evangelist, immediately called for his arrest, ACP Ampofo Duku, the Deputy Police Commander, told DAILY GUIDE.

He said his boss thought the evangelist had facts that could assist the police to unmask the personalities behind the allegations, notably in the police, military and prison service; hence the arrest.

According to him, before the evangelist was invited, the police secured an unedited recording of his pronouncements from the radio station to assist in investigations.

ACP Duku said Evangelist Ibrahim initially denied saying those words but when the recording was played, every word attributed to him was confirmed by three officials of the radio station including host of the programme.

Meanwhile, there was drama at the Police Headquarters in Kumasi when Evangelist Ibrahim knelt before top police officers, weeping and begging for forgiveness over his false report on radio.