The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, has filed a complaint against the founder of the International Godsway Church, Daniel Obinim, at the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service.
The complaint is in relation to a video which went viral on social media, showing Obinim, whipping two teenagers with a belt during a service at the church, for allegedly engaging in sexual relations and attempting to abort a subsequent pregnancy.
[contextly_sidebar id=”5M3AQsTIKM6ZF4hT1WVmG3cExvcxHsF5″]A statement from the Gender Minister, Nana Oye Lithur, said that the Ministry had “has reported Pastor Obinim of the International Godsway Church to the Accra Regional DOVVSU Office for investigation.”
The police told Citi News’ earlier that they were looking into the matter which, if confirmed, would constitute a breach of the victims’ rights.
“I haven’t spotted such a video but if there is such a video in circulation then it borders on human rights issues and the appropriate authorities will take action,” the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Ghana Police Service Superintendent Cephas Arthur said.
Oye Lithur confirmed this in her statement and added that, another complaint had been filed against the controversial preacher at the Tema General Office.
Meanwhile, Daniel Obinim, responding to criticism directed at him, described some Ghanaians as hypocrites for judging him for his actions.
“The Bible in Proverbs says if you love your child, you discipline them. That is why I beat the children, because of their immorality… For some of you, if it were your child, you would have beaten them more than I did,” Obinim said.
“If it were your child, would you sit there for them to spoil? The kids are by my side, should I throw them out for this or what? Do not speak about things you don’t understand.
“What would majority of Ghanaians have done in this case? If it had been your child, who had done something so immoral, would you have left them to go astray – a 14-year-old girl and 16-year-old boy,” he added.
The actions of an angry father
Obinim’s aide, Joseph Osei Brenyah, jumped to the preacher’s defence, describing the incident as the act of an infuriated father.
He told Citi News that the two teenagers had been adopted by Obinim, who had taken care of them for years and was deeply hurt by their actions.
According to him, Obinim had acted exactly how any other father would have done in that situation.
“The two children he disciplined are his adopted children. He takes care of them including even the lady’s parents and the gentleman’s mother. He’s housed them and pays for everything. I don’t see anything wrong with him trying to discipline his child. We do it all the time. As fathers, when your child does something wrong, out of shock or frustration, you might do something at that moment and that is exactly what the man of God did.”
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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana