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General News of Monday, 17 February 2003

Source: Ghanaian Chronicle

"Romeo" Bishop Now Sacked

The much awaited devastating blow to sweep-away Prophet Miritaiah Jonah Jehu-Appiah, from the leadership of the Muzama Disco Christo Church (MDCC) has been released.

The prophet who is known as Akaboha III, has been dismissed as the leader and the spiritual head of the MDCC. His dismissal took effect from the early hours of last Friday, February 14.

The spokesman for the Akaboha, Mord Jehu-Appiah, who was Project Officer of the Church was not available for comment.

Addressing the congregation in a colorful event at the forecourt of Jehu Nano Temple, on Friday morning, Prophet Jere-Offa Jehu-Appiah, the father and General Overseer of the MDCC, announced to the members that Maratiah can no longer be maintained as Akaboha and the leader of the Church.

Chronicle gathered that after intensive prayers, supplication and singing, the General Overseer of the church formally broke the news of the dismissal of Miritaiah to the flock of the church. "I wish to formally announce to you that the head prophet is no longer the spiritual head of the church, who ever does business in connection with the church with him does so at his own risk," he said, amidst deafening cheers.

Chronicle learnt that Jere-Offa also read all the sexual abuse allegations allegedly committed by Akaboha to the congregation and narrated how the leadership of the church met him (Akaboha) over the issues and the outcome of the meeting.

He told the members that the head prophet woefully failed to defend himself in the allegations and as a Bible and God-fearing people they cannot close their eyes over such dangerous and sinful issues.

The General Overseer further told the congregation how the leadership of the church over the years had tried to ensure that the spiritual head of the church did not go astray from the way of the Lord but to no avail.

He revealed for the first time how Akaboha was found wanting when he was pushed against the wall with sexual allegations leveled against him.

The church members and the township of Musano were awakened from their sleep at dawn that Friday by a gong-gong beater who announced to them to assemble at the forecourt of the Jehu -Nano Temple for an all-important message from the General Overseer.

Before that morning meeting, the General Overseer and other leading members within the institutions of the church met to deliberate on the resolutions they had forwarded to him (General Overseer) in January this year for onward submission to Miritaiah, Chronicle has learnt.

Shortly after the deliberations Jere-Offa, also attached an affidavit he had sworn at the Agona Swedru High Court on January 30, to support the resolutions calling for the removal of the prophet.

He was accompanied by members of the Council of Elders and other bodies formally submitted the "no confidence" and dismissal resolutions to Miritaiah.

Part of the affidavit by the General Overseer of the church read: "I fully subscribe to insinuations against the Akaboha III by the church elders, the Oman of Mozano, and the diocesan ministers, district pastors and Finusifim Band as per documents submitted". He also assured that he was going to pivot any deliberations by the interim body of elders elected to hold the affairs of the church in the absence of Akaboha III.

They formally announced the decision of the church to sack him based on the strength of countless sexual escapades he (Akaboha) was allegedly involved in.

Chronicle gathered that a handful of Akaboha loyal supporters who, irrespective of uncontested evidence available were moving heaven and earth to "kill' the case, and his wife and his mother who doubles as the queen mother were all present when the affidavit and resolutions announcing his dismissal were submitted to him.

"When the delegation led by General Overseer Jere-Offa handed over the resolutions and made their mission clear and why the church took that hard decision Akaboha, and his loyalist who have vowed to fight for him were dump found," Chronicle sources said.

"Akaboha with a trembling voice pleaded with the overseer and his delegate to forgive him all the wrong things he had committed against them and the church but his plea came too late since they were only there to announce his dismissal to him", Chronicle was further told.

Before his dismissal there had been reconciliatory moves by Akaboha to get the leadership of the church to pardon him of all his sins.

Chronicle gathered that he first sent one of the leading church leaders in the country to see the leadership of the church but the move failed.

He then switched to traditional rulers, sending one of the leading traditional rulers in the Central region to plead for him but the leadership of the church stood their grounds.

While he was contemplating his next move, Thursday evening the General Overseer, together with Nana P.K Koomson, Twafohene,Nana Kwaku Acquah, Adontenhene and other leading members broke the news of his dismissal to him.

Jere-Offa also told the congregation that all the sons of the Akaboha would be invited to meet in the Easter holidays to appoint God's own chosen one as the new Akaboha to head the church.

It would be recalled that about two weeks ago the Ghanaian Chronicle published a story about Akaboha's alleged sexual escapades and the moves to dismiss him as the leader of the church in our subsequent edition.

His spokesman and his junior brother defended him, debunking all the allegations against him when he was sent by Akaboha to speak for him at the offices of the Chronicle before our first publication. The big question now is would Akaboha fight back? Stay tuned.