TB Joshua water victims discharged

Police reports indicates that the 21 victims, who sustained injuries during a stampede which left four others dead last Sunday at the Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN), have all been treated and discharged from the various health facilities within Accra, where they were sent for treatment.

Eleven of the victims were sent to the Police Hospital while 10 others were admitted at the 37 Military Hospital.

Police said most of the victims were treated and discharged on the same day of the incident while the rest, who remained on admission, left their sick beds the following Monday.

The four persons, who died as a result of the stampede, have been identified as John Brainoo, a 61-year-old member of the church who lived at Ashaiman; Esther Adabadzi, 39, a worker at Mass Education Field Work Community Development, Amasaman and a resident of Achimota; Mike Teye, 35, a businessman who lived at Ashaiman and Emmanuel Thomas Addo, a 50-year-old man, also a member of the church and a resident of Darkuman.

Three of the bodies have been deposited at the Police Hospital morgue while one is at the 37 Military Hospital morgue.

Superintendent J A Aduhene Benie, the Airport District Police Commander, in an interview with DAILY GUIDE, said the process of investigations had begun by the police.

Police have met with leaders of the church and their statements have also been taken.

Police have also gone to court to sign a coronal report for the post mortem to be conducted on the bodies to find out the real cause of death as required by law.

He revealed that the autopsy would be done at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital; hence, police would supervise the process to make sure that all the bodies are transported to Korle Bu within this week.

“When the cause of death is ascertained after the autopsy, then police will know the next line of action to take.”

He also revealed that bodies would not be released to deceased families until the autopsy was done and the cause of death established.

Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has directed authorities of the Church to stop hosting revivals, crusades and other scheduled church events at their Spintex Road church. In an interview with DAILY GUIDE, DCOP Yohuno, who was at the scene last Sunday, said the church could use the Accra Sports Stadium or the Black Star Square for such events since the church premises was too small to contain the large number who visited it during such programmes.

“The stampede could have been avoided if the church had chosen a bigger venue to hold its events instead of the church premises,” he said.

Sunday service by the Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) became tragic when four persons lost their lives due to a stampede over anointed water.

The water was said to have been blessed by leader of the church Prophet T B Joshua from Nigeria.

Upon hearing the announcement purportedly telecasted live on the church’s television station, Emmanuel TV, hundreds of believers of the church trooped to its Spintex road premises for the anointed water.

Some members of the church were said to have stormed the place the previous night before the service could start that Sunday morning.

Information gathered indicated that even though the church requested security assistance, police personnel deployed could not control the massive crowd.

About 45, 000 believers were said to have visited the church that fateful day for the anointed water.