Following the barrage of criticisms that has greeted the video showing the founder of the International God’s Way Church, Bishop Obinim, flogging two teenagers with a belt during a church service for alleged fornication, one of his aides has come to his defence.
Joseph Osei Brenyah confirmed that, the two had been taken in by Obinim and had engaged in sexual relations, resulting in a pregnancy which was subsequently aborted.
[contextly_sidebar id=”wiffB1oQs1Z8agWdMFlxJ97ol5iTfutj”]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.”
The video has since gone viral on social media and has seen a backlash against the preacher on social media.
Police to investigate video of Obinim flogging ‘fornicators’
The Police have said they will look into the matter as it may constitute a breach of the rights of the victims.
“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.
However, according to Joseph Osei Brenyah, the fuss over the incident and the criticisms leveled against Obinim were unwarranted, as his actions could not be considered unusual.
“We don’t see anything wrong with it. He is a father and that’s what every father who’s angry with the actions of their child would do.”
He added that the church does not condone fornication or abortion and that Obinim’s actions would serve as a deterrent to anyone who might want to engage in these acts.
“We want to send a message out there to the youth, especially to those in the church that we will not countenance or tolerate any act of fornication and abortion. These people fornicated and aborted the baby,” he said.
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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana