Two pastors, Samuel Kwesi Tsogbe and Christ-Esther, have been sentenced to six and five years’ imprisonment respectively for stealing GH¢200,000 from a 72-year-old bedridden pensioner.
The convicts, head pastors of the Cornerstone Ministry International, Kpando, Volta Region, stole the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card and cheque book of the pensioner, made several withdrawals and deposited them into their own accounts.
They were before the court on July 4, 2023 presided over by Her Honour Sedinam Awo Balokah and pleaded guilty to the charges of conspiring and stealing.
They were, therefore, convicted on their own plea with the judge noting that it was to serve as a deterrent to other perpetrators.
In addition, the judge ordered the seizure of Hyundai Mighty II truck, property of the convicts and the National Investment Bank (NIB) account, Adentan branch of the first convict, Tsogbe, to be frozen.
Again, although the convicts, Tsogbe, 33, and Esther, 63, were charged with conspiracy and stealing, the judge convicted them only on the crime of stealing because the first crime of conspiracy was withdrawn by the prosecution.
In presenting the case before the court, the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Maxwell Lanyo, said the complainant/niece of the victim resided at Kpando in the Volta Region while the victim/pensioner, Fred Martin Amlor, resided at Danfa, Accra.
According to the prosecutor, in 2022, the convicts through false prophecies convinced the victim that they had solutions to his problem if he would allow them live with him.
The prosecutor said five months into the living arrangement, the convicts sacked the existing house help, brought in their own and managed to steal the victim’s NIB ATM card and Cheque book.
C/Insp Lanyo said from September 22, 2022 to June 2, 2023, the accused persons took advantage of the victim being bedridden and gradually stole monies from his account.
The prosecutor added that their act was discovered when the niece who had come home to attend to the financial needs of her uncle realised the ATM card and cheque book had been stolen by the convicts.
C/Insp Lanyo said a report was made by the niece to the Kpando Police and the case was later transferred to the Ayi Mensah Police Station in Accra for investigations.
The prosecutor added that during investigations, the convicts, Tsogbe and Esther, were arrested and interrogated and both admitted to the crime.