'Jesus One Touch' appeals against court's decision

Accra, May 11, GNA - Nana Kofi Yirenkyi aka "Jesus One Touch", who i= s accused of defiling his 10-year-old daughter, has appealed against an Acc= ra Circuit Court's ruling ordering him to open his defence. Jesus One Touch, who was to open his defence on Tuesday, disclosed t= his through his counsel saying he would proceed to the High Court. Appearing before the Court on Tuesday, Mr K.N. Adomako Acheampong, counsel for the accused, said that they were not going to open their defe= nce because they had appealed against the court's ruling in a submission of n= o case on Tuesday, May 4. He said they were in the process of filing the necessary documents a= t the High Court and were optimistic that by Friday, May 14, the matter wou= ld be heard. According to Mr. Acheampong, when they obtained proceedings from the=

Circuit court, there were omissions for which they ought to cross-check w= ith the court's clerks. He said: "Procedurally, we have filed stay of proceedings pending an=

appeal and in that circumstance we pray for an adjournment so we could al= so put our house in order". Mr. Acheampong said "Though in custody, we are prepared to suffer fo= r the right thing to be done".

Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sarah Acquah appealed to the court to remand the accused person to prison custody beca= use he (accused) was posing a security threat at the Ministries Police statio= n. ASP Acquah alleged that her life was in danger because she had been receiving threats through her mobile phone. Mr. Acheampong expressed shock at the prosecution's submissions, saying if the accused was posing a security threat at the cells, the station office= r would have report to the court. Counsel said he wanted his client to be kept in Police custody to prevent the Police from giving the excuse of lack of vehicle to convey hi= s clients to court. The court presided over by Mrs Georgina Mensah-Datsa, ruled that the accused should be kept in Police custody. According to the court, it had confidence in that the Ghana Police Servi= ce which could ensure adequate security for the prosecutor as well as the accused person. On May 4, this year the Circuit Court ordered Nana Yirenkyi to open=

his defence. This followed the court's ruling on a submission of no case filed b= y Nana Yirenkyi, Founder and General Overseer of Jesus Blood Ministry International, at Oblogo Manchester before the court. It stated that from the evidence adduced by prosecution it was convinced that a prima facie case had been made against the accused and ordered him to open his defence.

On April 26, this year, the prosecution closed its case after callin= g eight witnesses and the defence declared its intention to file a submissi= on of no case. Accused, who has pleaded not guilty to incest and defilement, has be= en remanded in Police custody. The prosecution's case was that, the victim, who was born out of wedlock, lived with the complainant, Madam Bernice Owiredua Asamaa until 2005 when she left to live with the accused at McCarthy Hills in Accra to=

attend school. Prosecution said between 2008 and 2009, accused started defiling the=

victim before every church service. In November 2009, the accused granted an opportunity to the victim's=

mother to talk to her because she was putting up a bad behaviour. It was during the interaction that the victim revealed her ordeal to=

the complainant. The victim was initially examined by a medical doctor and later transferred to the Police Hospital for further treatment. The matter has been adjourned to Monday, May 24.