General News of Wednesday, 11 September 2002

Source: Ghanaian Times

Beckley demands compensation from President

Dr Sri Ram Yogi Beckley, the occultist medical doctor, on Tuesday appealed through President J.A. Kufuor for the government to compensate him for the destruction of his property worth 50 million cedis following the attack on him and the subsequent arrest.

This followed the discovery that there was harbouring human skulls at his residence. Dr Beckley said following the destruction of his property, he and his family were now homeless and were putting up with friends.

Dr Beckley who disclosed these to the ?Times? in Accra on Tuesday, also urged the government to bring to book the police for instigating the damage that was visited on his property at Gbawe saying that the police stood by and looked on while the irate mob looted his house and set it ablaze.

Dr Beckley said he was detained by the police for no crime and said it is only President Kufuor, father of the nation, who could cause him and his family to have some of his property. He said after spending months behind bars at the James Fort Prison, it is now that he had been released by the Accra High Court on a bail of 5 million cedis and a surety.

He said so far his charges were abduction of two girls and assault which did not warrant the destruction of his property. ?Eventually I am not yet acquitted and discharged formally by the court, I promised to seek redress for any property that I toiled for all these years,? Dr Beckley said pointing out that the perpetrators of the arson attack must face justice.

?While I was in custody, the police took no action to prevent the mob from destroying my house and cars including various sums of local and foreign currencies?, Dr Beckley said. Dr Beckley explained that the attack on him was the second time and said there was the need for government to ensure that all its citizens were protected under the law. Asked whether he intended to seek further redress if the government failed to compensate him, Dr Beckley said ?I shall leave everything to God should my effort yield no results?.