Pastor to stand trial for alleged rape

Twifo Praso (C/R), Nov. 20, GNA- A 65-year old Pastor of the '12 Apostles' Church at Woraba near Moree, who allegedly raped a 19-year-old girl under the pretext of exorcising her of witchcraft, was last Thursday committed to stand trial at a high court at Cape Coast by a district magistrate's court at Twifo- Praso.

Jacob Abekah Amissah, whose plea was not taken, was remanded in custody at the Ankaful prisons.

Prosecuting chief inspector George Okine told the court presided over by Mr Joseph Blay that one Madam Ekua Mensema who lives at Twifo- Asamoahkrom, lost her children at birth, so a friend of hers introduced her to Amissah in September 2006.

He alleged that the accused subsequently came to Twifo-Asamoahkrom, where he started prayers Madam Mensema and her family.

Prosecution further alleged that in the course of the prayers, pastor Amissah revealed that Madam Mensema's 19-year-old daughter, Afua Amoduwaa, was a witch and was the cause of her mother's problems. Chief inspector Okine also alleged that the accused then told the family that he could 93drive away the evil spirit from Amoduwaa=94 and asked for a tin each of groundnuts, sugar, and rice and a fowl for pacification rituals at 12 midnight.

The prosecutor further told the court that Amissah then requested to sleep in the same room with Amoduwaa to enable him to drive away the evil spirits and the parents agreed, but he raped her, and she reported him to her parents who caused his arrest.