Pastor fined GH¢36,000 for organising Easter church service

A pastor and two others have been fined a total of GH¢36,000 by the Kpando Circuit Court in the Volta Region for breaching the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012).

They were arrested for holding a service at the Church of Pure Christ in Peki despite the ban on public gatherings. The Peki Divisional Commander of Police, Superintendent Simon Agbodeka said the pastor “couldn’t give us any reason apart from he being a Christian.

He said as a man of God, there’s nothing that stops them from celebrating Easter; the death and resurrection of his God so he doesn’t see why he should comply with the directive. He was arrested and formally charged and put before court. They were convicted on their own plea.

They fined 1,100 penalty units which amount to GH¢13,200 for each person. In default, it is four years imprisonment each with hard labour.” The Ashanti Region alone has seen many of these recalcitrant pastors being arrested for defying the lockdown directive and ban on public gatherings.

The Asokwa District Court weeks ago, granted bail to the head pastor of Open Arms Ministries, Apostle Kofi Nkansah Sarkodie, and one other to the tune of GH¢10,000 each with two sureties. This comes after they were arrested for the second time for holding a service at the church’s North Suntreso Branch.

The pastor was rearrested together with his son, Kofi Nkansah Sarkodie Junior for holding another church service at the same premises. Still in the region, another pastor has also been put before court for holding a church service.

The general overseer of Truth to Heaven Ministry, Apostle Moses Daganu Ametepe and five of his church members who were arrested at Dompoase-Aprabon were granted bail to the tune of GH¢10,000 with two sureties each.