Obinim’s health pushes court to adjourn forgery case

The Kaneshie District Court was forced to adjourn the founder of the International God’s Way Church, Bishop Daniel Obinim’s forgery case because he had taken ill. 

The televangelist, Bishop Obinim, known for his healing prowess with his widely used ‘Obinim Sticker’ has been advised to seek medical care.

It is the fourth time Bishop Obinim fell sick while facing police enquiry or trial. There had been similar instances in 2017, 2018 and earlier this year.

On Monday, his lawyer, Louis Yiadom Boakye, who stepped in for Dela Blagogee, informed the Kaneshie District Court of the latest development.

“We profusely apologise for the absence of Bishop Obinim. He was due to travel to Kumasi this dawn but his health took a turn for the worse, so he had to seek medical care,” the lawyer said.

Mr Boakye also mentioned that the prosecution, led by Detective Sergeant Richard Amoah, has been informed of the latest developments.

Sergeant Amoah confirmed that the defence team had indeed briefed them of Obinim’s state of health.

It is not clear what Bishop Obinim is suffering from as the lawyer did not give details of his condition.

Following the latest development, the court adjourned the case hoping Bishop Obinim would be present at the next adjourned date.

The case has been adjourned to December 17, 2020.

Obinim history of being sick before trials 

Bishop Obinim has a history of falling sick when scheduled to face the law.

On May 14, this year, he ended up at a hospital in East Legon when the police wanted him for investigations into a case for forgery and fraud against him.

On May 9, 2018, Kojo Adu Boahene, Administrator of God’s Way International Church informed an Accra Circuit Court that Bishop Daniel Obinim, founder of the church who was on trial was sick and had to visit the hospital.

The trial judge, Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku, was unhappy and stated that Bishop Obinim’s excuses of being sick were becoming too many; “Next time I expect him in court.”

In another instance on January 13, 2017, the controversial miracles and healing pastor, failed to turn up in court in the case where he was facing trial for flogging two teenagers in open church for having premarital sex.

Background

The founder of the International God’s Way Church, Bishop Daniel Obinim is currently facing new charges.

The televangelist, his accomplice Kwabena Otchere and four others, are now facing four counts.

The six people are to answer to charges of conspiracy to publish false news, conspiracy to forge documents, the publication of false news and forgery of documents.

But the controversial pastor has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

At the last sitting, the police had asked for more time to investigate Bishop Obinim’s case. But Counsel for Obinim slammed the prosecution for employing ‘delay tactics’.

A not-too-happy counsel, Charles Dela Blagogee, made the critique while expressing his disappointment at the prosecution’s request for a longer adjourned date.

The lawyer said his hopes of scrutinising the prosecution’s evidence against his client had been dashed again because they have failed to present it.

“We can clearly see as practitioners of the law, what the prosecution is trying to do and where this matter is going. We are obliged to play along.

“But if on the next adjourned date, our colleagues from the other side fail to provide evidence that they are bringing to the case, then it won’t be fair to all parties.

“This is the third or fourth time, we are coming to the court on this matter but nothing to show for it,” Counsel for the accused stressed.

READ ALSO: State Prosecution Asks For More Time

Bishop Obinim was arrested on May 22, this year by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and charged for the publication of false news and forgery of a document, contrary to sections 208 and 159 of the Criminal and other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) respectively.

Obinim’s banter with the court has been going on for a while now. In 2018, he, together with two of his pastors, stood trial at the Accra Circuit Court for allegedly assaulting his adopted children in the presence of his congregation.

In September, that same year, he was fined a total of GH¢12,000 for the assault of his children.

Again, in August 2016, Obinim was arrested by the Tema Regional Police for allegedly defrauding a man of GH¢11.6 million.

Prior to his court appearance, the popular man of God in May 2020, spent three days in police custody before he was granted a GH₵100,000 bail with three sureties.