General News of Thursday, 25 August 2011

Source: GNA

Church founder and elder in robbery case

Koforidua, Aug 25, GNA - Two persons who disguised themselves as military and police personnel and robbed a Kumasi bound cargo truck turned out to be elders of Adonai Healing Church at Akorabo near Suhum.

The vehicle was loaded with cartoons of Don Simon fruit drinks and wine.

This came to light when many cartoons of the products and a set each of military and police uniforms were found in the house of the Head Pastor and Founder of the Church, Godfred Opoku, after the driver of the truck had lodged a complaint at the Suhum police station.

The Eastern Regional Police command had therefore mounted a search for the two and the pastor to assist in investigations.

The wife of the pastor, Mary Tetteh, has been remanded in police custody.

Briefing the GNA in Koforidua, Assistant Commissioner of Police Kwabena Gyamera Yeboah, the Eastern Regional Police Commander, said on Sunday the driver of the truck, Ibrahim Mahmoud, and his two mate were signaled to stop at Obretema by the two men in police and military uniforms.

He said the men ordered the driver to produce the way bill covering the drinks and he produced it but the men ordered him and the mates to get down to which they obliged.

ACP Gyamera-Yeboah said when they got down their hands were tied with ropes at their back and put were put in a taxi that had been hidden in the bush.

He said the fake security officers informed them that they were being taken to the Kibi Police Station for further questioning but they damped them in a bush and came back to drive the truck away.

The driver and his mates freed themselves and made a report at the Suhum police station where the police patrol team was alerted to mount a search in the nearby towns.

The truck was located at Akorabo, near Suhum with some of the drinks stolen and later 300 cartons of the drinks were found hidden in a nearby bush.

The patrol team had a tip-off and went to the Pastor’s house where 900 cartons of the drinks were found including a pair each of military and police uniforms.

The police arrested his wife and put her before the Suhum Magistrate’s Court where she was remanded in custody to reappear on September 06.