By Samuel Ansah Boateng
Pastor Macaiah Akwasi Addai, a senior pastor of the 7th Day Pentecostal Assemblies in Kumasi, in the Ashante region, has been dragged to the Supreme Court to show cause why he should not be reprimanded for styling himself as the president of the church, despite a court injunction.
“In an obvious attempt to throw dust into the eyes of the public, and to bring the image of the Supreme Court of Ghana into disrepute, apparently to achieve his personal agenda, pastor Macaiah Akwasi Addai was on King Tom television declaring himself as president of the church, which is not so, that’s a false publication, he and the television station have found themselves on the wrong side of the law”, Lawyer Charles Agbanu, a legal practitioner has said.
To set the record straight, other top members of the church, Elder Enoch Ofori Junior, deacon Anthony Tachie, Deacon Yaw Sarfo Kantanka and Deacon Stephen Frimpong have appealed to the Supreme Court to punish pastor Addai to deter him from repeating same blunder in future.
Lawyer for the applicant, Charles Agbanu esq. has also issued a one-week ultimatum to the pastor and the television station to quickly set the records straight or face the full rigours of the law.
The said publication, according to the renowned legal practitioner, sought to have linked the Supreme Court in a false election that was masterminded by Macaiah Akwasi Addai who represented himself as a legitimate president of the Association of the 7th Day Pentecostal Assemblies, headquartered in Kumasi Adiebeba.
Macaiah Akwasi Addai is currently an acting president of the Association of the 7th Day Pentecostal Assemblies, following the death of the late president, founder and leader of the church, Elder Enoch Ofori Snr, pending proper elections to appoint a substantial president to lead the church.
Both the Supreme Court of Ghana and Court of Appeal of the Republic of Ghana have ruled out on the case for the proper procedures to be taken before full elections could take place for peace sake.
Early this year, there were several attempts by the applicants to reach out for proper processes for peaceful elections but proved futile at the Ashanti regional offices of the Electoral Commission, (EC) thereby compelling the Commission to advise both parties in the case to go back and make amendments to enable the Commission conduct free and fair elections, this paper has gathered.
“This point out that the election stands pending to ensure that both parties been Enoch Ofori Jnr (plaintiff in the case) and his followers and pastor Macaiah Akwasi Addai (Acting President and defendant in the case) and his group come into compromise to enable proper elections to commence for the appointment of a substantial president for the church,” Lawyer Charles Agbanu has said.
In a letter cited by this paper, the defendants on 23rd November 2023, Lawyer Charles Agbanu expressed disappointment about the claims made by pastor Akwasi Addai at the studios of King Tom TV; that he is the current and legitimate president of the church based on the Supreme Court clearance per its verdict.
The solicitor further expressed worry about the manner King Tom TV as a media house failed to find out the truth in Macaiah Akwasi Addai claim before granting him an interview on their platform.
“Considering the publication at King Tom TV studio which was orchestrated by Akwasi Addai as totally malicious and false since their clients Elder Enoch Ofori Jnr and his followers are not aware of any proper procedures that both parties put in place for proper elections to merit his (Addai’s) victory as president of the church”, it added.
“We want the television station to furnish us within one week, details of the following information: the date of the purported ruling of the Supreme Court which declared Macaiah Akwasi Addai as the elected president of the Association of the,7th Day Pentecostal Assemblies.
The composition of the Supreme Court which gave the novel ruling in favour of Macaiah Akwasi Addai to become the president of the church and a certified true copy of the said Supreme Court ruling”, Lawyer Agbanu requested.
Readers will recall how pastor Addai recently won the benevolence of some members of the 7th Day Pentecostal Assemblies, where they agreed to organize a seven day fasting for the pastor over his inability to control his canal urges towards members of his own church.
The spiritual exercise, according to some elders of the church sought to fortify the pastor against his intense sexual desires.
He was convicted by a five-member panel at the Manhyia palace for sleeping with the wife of one Kofi Adjei, a member of his church.
On 13 June, 2023, he was made to slaughter two livestock, and made a part payment of GHc 5000 from a 15,000 fine, and promised to pay the rest in two months.
Stay tuned.