Security man remanded for threatening four pastors..

 Emmanuel Yaw Owusu, a security man, has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for threatening to kill four pastors and their families and the church members if they failed to pay 5,000 Ghana cedis each.

Owusu is said to have threatened the pastors with messages like “we are robbers, we demand 5,000 Ghana cedis from you and your church or we eliminate you and your family as well as 5,000 members of your church. Send it or action.”

The pastors, who were in court, were Rev. Dr Nana Anyani Boadum, Rev. Dr Prince Baah, Bishop Samuel Noi Mensah and Rev. Christopher Marfo Ahenkorah.

Charged with four counts of threat of death, Owusu pleaded guilty.

The court, presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku, deferred the sentence and remanded him into police custody to reappear on April 13.

The court ordered the police to retrieve a 2014 and 2015 church diary that Owusu claimed contained the telephone numbers which he used to commit the act. He said he saw the pastors’ names and telephone numbers as being members of the Ghana Pentecostal Council.

In his explanation to the court Owusu denied being a robber adding that he had earlier apologised to the pastors.

According to Owusu he wanted the pastors to assist him improve on his driving skills. He said looking at his background and that of his family, he needed that assistance.

“I also wanted to put the fear in them,” Owusu said.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Ofori Amanfo said some of the numbers were not in the said diary.

Narrating the facts, the prosecutor said the complainant, Rev. Dr Boadum, is a clergy and the General Overseer of Jesus Generation Ministries.

Prosecution said the accused works as security man at the Church of Pentecost, the Anyaa Central Assembly.

Chief Inspector Amanfo said on March 23, this year, the complainant received a text message from a Vodafone number 0200381608.

The message from the unknown persons stated that “we are armed robbers, we demand 5,000 Ghana cedis from you or we eliminate you and your family as well as 5,000 members of your church. Send it or action.”

Prosecution said the complainant reported the matter on April 1, this year and Owusu was arrested when he agreed to meet an undercover agent to receive the money.

During investigation, the prosecutor said three other pastors who received similar messages lodged complaints.

Owusu, in his caution statement, admitted the offence.

GNA