Bishop Obinim did not understand why a young boy, whose father had died, was still in school and being looked after by his mother, would have sex with an equally young girl who is learning a vocation.
A short video of the incident, which took place during a church service and broadcasted on TV, went viral Thursday; triggering public outrage and calls for the pastor to be arrested.
Several human rights activists condemned the act of the pastor while Ghana’s Gender Ministry has lodged a formal police complaint for investigations into the matter, which has grabbed headlines.
Suit
A legal practitioner, Irene Aborchie, and a transport officer of a law firm in Accra, Daniel Agbavor, have jointly sued the pastor and his church, International God’s Way, at the Human Rights Court.
They two want the court to declare the action of the pastor as a “violation of the dignity of the victims,” as well as an order of perpetual injunction against the pastor and all his agents from further similar acts.
According to the two who initiated the action in their capacity as Ghanaians, the “continuous conduct of physical abuse of members” of International God’s Way Church by Obinim is a violent breach of the constitution and other international human rights statutes, which Ghana subscribes to.
Lawyer for the applicants, Francis Xavier Sosu, told 3FM the whipping of the two with a leather belt before the congregation “amounts to a dehumanizing and degrading treatment”
He said his clients are willing to pursue the case until Bishop Obinim is found culpable.
Mercydalyne Lokko| 3FM 92.7|3news.com|Ghana
