Sunyani (Brong Ahafo Region) -- A twenty-five year-old pastor, who allegedly raped his 50-year-old mother-in-law after offering her a bottle of coke and meat pie laced with drug, has been arraigned before a Sunyani high court.

The accused, Pastor Frank Frempong, founder and leader of Sunyani-based Jordan Prayer Ministry, who pleaded not guilty to the offence, will reappear before the court, presided over by Justice Baffoe Bonnie, on April 4.

Prosecuting, Mr B. Cab-Beyuo, chief State Attorney, said in January 2000, Pastor Frempong entered into holy matrimony with one of the victim's daughters who thereby became his mother-in-law. He said on August 9, 2000, the victim fell sick and she sent for Pastor Frempong to come and convey her to the hospital. Mr Cab-Beyuo said on his way to his mother-in-law's residence, Pastor Frempong met his wife and her sister on their way to the market.

He said the pastor enquired from them whether their mother was at home and alone. When they replied in the affirmative, he told them that he was going to wait for them in the house.

The prosecutor said when Pastor Frempong entered his mother-in-law's bedroom, he engaged her in a conversation for sometime and later offered her a bottle of soft drink and meat pie suspected to have been laced with a drug.

He said no sooner had the woman taken the pie and the drink than she became drowsy and weak and consequently fell asleep. Mr Cab-Beyuo said Pastor Frempong allegedly took advantage of the victim's helpless condition and raped her.

He said the victim claimed she saw Pastor Frempong having sexual intercourse with her but she could not resist it because of the state in which she was. According to Mr Cab-Beyuo, after the act, Pastor Frempong sneaked out of the house before the victim's daughters returned home.

He said when the victim's two daughters entered the house, they found their mother very weak and when they asked her what had happened to her, she felt too shy to disclose her ordeal to them. Mr Cab-Beyuo said when the woman attempted to get up to have her bath, she fell down and collapsed.

He said on August 11, 2000, Pastor Frempong resurfaced, took the victim to the Sunyani Government Hospital for treatment and later shelved the Out-Patient's Department (OPD) identity card.

The prosecutor said five days later, Pastor Frempong took the sick woman to a prayer camp in Kumasi for a four-day spiritual healing. He said on her return from Kumasi, the victim who was traumatised by her bitter ordeal invited the Rev Matthew Owusu-Ansah, a priest of the Sunyani Anglican Church and disclosed her nightmarish experience to him.

The prosecutor said in order to avoid disgrace, as the news of the rape case was spreading, Pastor Frempong rather sued his mother-in-law at a Sunyani high court for defamation. He said consequently, the victim reported the rape incident to the Sunyani Police, leading to the arrest of Pastor Frempong. After investigations, he was charged with rape before the court.