The Apostle’s Revelation Society (ARS) has petitioned the Volta Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Edward Kwateng, over the reluctance of the Police at Tadzewu to investigate complaints of assault on the Executive Chairman and two others by Rev Nyeenyami Etsey Wovenu, former leader of the church and his children.
Reverend Nyeenyami Etsey Wovenu was restrained by a Sogakope High Court in February 2021 from having anything to do with the running of the church.
However, the petition filed by lawyers on behalf of the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the General Conference in Accra, said that he disregarded the court order and continued to hold himself as the leader of the church.
According to the petition on September 18, Rev Nyeenyami Etsey Wovenu and his children, allegedly beat Togbe Awi IV, Executive Chairman of the General Conference ARS when he turned up in the premises of the church’s headquarters at Tadzewu in the Volta Region to carry out his official duties.
Prior to that, two members of the church, Fomasor Senanu and Adam Abotsi were similar allegedly subjected to physical torture by the former leader and his children in the premises of the ARS headquarters, the petition added.
“The neglect by the police officers at Tadzewu to properly investigate the complaints against Rev Nyeenyami Etsey Wovenu and prosecute him has given him the impression that he is above the law and, therefore, untouchable.
“Under the circumstance, we humbly pray you to use your good office and have the cases transferred to the Regional Command for a thorough investigation and prosecution,” the petition stated.
Meanwhile, DCOP Kwateng had given the assurance that the complaints would definitely be investigated with utmost seriousness.
When contacted on Tuesday, he said that “we have sent for the files and we have already assigned officers to the case, we will surely get to the bottom of the matter.”
Before the Sogakope High Court order, a Ho High Court in 2019 bonded Rev Wovenu to be of good behaviour for one year or serve a two-year hard labour jail term in default, or pay a fine of GHS12, 000 in default.
This was after the court, presided over by Mr Justice Mathew Kyeremanteng found Rev Wovenu guilty of disobeying an earlier court order which directed him to involve all the executive members of the ARS in the celebration of the 79th anniversary of the church at Tadzewu.
The executive members of the ARS are the highest decision body of the church.
Rev Wovenu was earlier in 2011 found guilty of over a similar issue by an Accra High Court which committed him to 14 days imprisonment.
In January 2014, a mob believed to have the backing of one faction of the ARS attacked another faction and razed down an office and property running into millions of Ghana Cedis.
One of the groups, led by Rev Apostle Charles Kwame Attipoe, was attacked and an office within the ARS premises was completely destroyed by the mob, believed to have been led by Rev Wovenu.
In the process 29 people got injured.
The case was reported to the Tadzewu police and carried by the Ghanaian Times on January 13, 2014.
FROM ALBERTO MARIO NORETTI, HO
