Pastor in Defilement Scandal

THE HEAD Pastor of the Gbawe branch of Cherubim and Seraphim Jah Jehovah Emmanuel Church International in Accra, Michael Bilesami is in the grips of the law following allegations that he continuously defiled a thirteen year old girl in the church over a period of two years.

The cat was let out of the bag when the girl who could not longer hide her affair narrated the ordeal to the woman she was staying with resulting in him being put before an Accra Circuit Court.

The accused was put before a court presided over by Mrs. Patience Mills-Tetteh where he pleaded not guilty to defilement and has been remanded to re-appear on October 6, 2010.

Narrating events leading to the pastor’s arrest, the Prosecuting Officer, ASP Sarah Ekua Acquah told the court that the accused is the pastor in charge of Cherubim and Seraphim Jah Jehovah Emmanuel Church International situated at Gbawe while the victim lives with the complainant, Lovia Ocquaye in the same vicinity.

According to her on April 6, 2008, the accused person took the victim to his bedroom and forcibly had sex with her. Afterwards he allegedly warned her not to tell anybody or else she would die.

She said the victim became afraid and the pastor took advantage of the situation. He continued having sex with the young girl in an office attached to a room called “Mercy Ground” mostly while sitting on a sofa by the church room.

The police officer said in July the victim fell sick so the pastor gave her some prescribed drugs. After taking the medicine she revealed her ordeal at the hands of the head pastor to the complainant and a report was lodged with the police.

Furthermore, she noted, a form was given to the complainant to attend the hospital for examination and treatment after which Bilesami was arrested. He however denied the offence in his caution statement.

She said the accused person was arraigned after police investigations.