Kumasi, Jan. 28, GNA -A Kumasi circuit court on Wednesday sentenced a dismissed 21-year-old student-pastor of the House of Blessing International Ministries Bible School at Santasi in Kumasi, who stole a number of items and cash all valued at 15 million cedis belonging to the church to three years imprisonment for conspiracy to steal and stealing. Prince Opoku alias Essien, was convicted on his own plea of guilty. Opoku before being sentenced, told the court that he stole the items and cash to compensate himself for some unpaid job he did for the Church while in the school.

"My Lord, while at the Bible School, I also doubled as the storekeeper for the Church for two years for which I was not given a pesewa", he added.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector John Afful told the court presided over by Mr Ernest Yao Obimpeh that Opoku used to be a student of the Bible School until September last year, when he was dismissed for misconduct.

He said in December last year, the accused and one Acheampong, who is on the run, broke into the Church's office at dawn and made away with cash of 500,000 cedis, two amplifiers, a microphone, a camera and a DVD video deck, all valued at 15 million cedis.

Chief Inspector Afful said a witness who saw the accused stealing the items and cash informed Apostle Peter Amoah, Head Pastor and Founder of the Church who lodged a complaint with the police leading to his arrest at Kwamang in the Sekyere West District.

Meanwhile, the court has ordered the police to give all the stolen items they retrieved from the accused back to the Church.