Asankrangwa: Pastor wanted for arson, attempted murder and theft of Gh¢40,000
The Asankragwa Police in the Western Region has placed a pastor of the Mega Word Chapel International at Enchi in the Aowin Municipality, Pastor Kenneth Mensah, alias Obrempong, on the police wanted list, for alleged arson, attempted murder and theft of Gh¢40,000 belonging to a congregant.
Mensah, aged 40, is said to have reportedly set the congregant's house ablaze while she slept and allegedly bolted with the Gh¢40,000.
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The victim, Rosemond Amoafo, was planning to travel to the United Kingdom.
She had reportedly disclosed her travel plans to the pastor, who was a family friend and had been paying frequent visits to the victim's home.
The pastor is said to have advised the victim to bring the said amount for prayers to spiritually prepare her for the trip.
The pastor is said to have taken the GH¢40,000 under the pretext of praying for a better life for her in the UK.
He told the victim that her sister was possessed by witchcraft.
After collecting the GH¢40,000 from the victim, he allegedly gave her something to drink [something the pastor reportedly said was special holy ghost concoction].
The victim reportedly slept after taking the drink.
This was when the pastor reportedly and allegedly set the house ablaze and escaped.
The victim, however, survived and is currently on admission at the Father Thomas Allan Rooney Memorial Catholic Hospital at Asankrangwa responding to treatment.
Police account
According to the police, the victim survived the fire due to the swift response by the Ghana National Final Service (GNFS).
An eyewitness who is also the daughter of the victim, Ms Joana Asare said, Pastor Mensah first came to visit the family at about three months ago and had since become a friend to the family and intimately involved with the victim.
She said that Pastor Mensah was also a junior of their senior brother at school and that after the first visit the pastor became close to the victim.
The victim had recently returned from Dubai and was preparing to travel to the UK. She reportedly informed the pastor about it.
Joana Asare told the police that they sold a family land to raise GH¢40,000 to support the victim’s travel plans.
When the pastor heard about the ¢40,000, he reportedly told the victim that her senior sister was a witch, and therefore required some spiritual intervention on the money and her pending travel plans or things would not work well for her in the UK.
The Pastor as part of plans to perform the spiritual cleansing spent the night at the victim’s residence at Kwesibokro, a suburb of Asankrangwa.
In the night the pastor asked her to recite some words on the money and also gave her the concoction to drink.
She reportedly slept after drinking the concoction.
Pastor Mensah reportedly took the ¢40,000, locked the door and allegedly set the house ablaze and bolted.
When contacted, the Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent, Nana Kuma Kumi confirmed the incident and said the pastor is on the run.
He urged the public to provide information about him to the police.
He said the suspect is believed to be hiding in Accra, Tema, Cape Coast, Enchi or Elubo.