Bishop Daniel Obinim
HE HOST of an Akan programme on Hot FM, an Accra-based radio station, who is one of the journalists allegedly assaulted by Bishop Daniel Obinim, yesterday testified in the criminal case of the bishop and his two associate pastors.
Paul Kwame Ntim Okatakyie, a broadcast journalist, who is the first prosecution witness in the matter, yesterday informed an Accra Circuit court that he was hit severally with a pinch bar in his ribs by the bishop who was offended that they were discussing an issue involving him without first informing him about it.
According to him, he was taken unawares by the presence of the three accused persons who stormed the studio where he was then making an announcement, after his programme, with the weapon and attacked him amidst words such as “if you don’t kill me today, I will kill you” by Bishop Obinim while he the host only questioned, “what have I done, what have I done”.
He said he sustained injuries in the ribs and on his finger and had to attend hospital for treatment.
Mr. Okatakyie was led into evidence by Rebecca Adjalo, the state attorney, as he narrated what occurred on August 8, 2011.
Bishop Obinim and his two pastors have been accused of assaulting two journalists at the said station as well as destroying studio equipment worth GH¢130,850.
Obinim and his pastors, Kingsley Baah, 25, and Kofi Akwettey, 35, have jointly been charged with seven counts of unlawful entry, conspiracy to commit crime to wit unlawful damage, causing unlawful damage, conspiracy to commit assault, and assault.
Obinim had an additional charge of assault. They pleaded not guilty and are on bail.
Mr. Okatakyie narrated that on August 8, he was hosting a programme named ‘Nya Asem Hwe’, a social programme for counseling people who had problems.
According to him, he was in the studio with his two producers, Shadrach Adu Yaw Ajebu and Adu Kumi, Rev. William Amoako-Atta, Mallam Alhassan and his two boys he could not identify.
The witness, who identified Obinim in court but said he got to know his two pastors later, informed the trial judge, Audrey Kocuvie-Tay that between 9:45pm and 9:50pm on the said day, he finished with his programme and signed off to interview another client.
He said he was behind the console informing listeners the numbers to contact in case they had a problem, when he saw the glass door to the studio smashed.
When he turned, he saw Bishop Obinim rushing in with his two pastors and because he was the first person they could reach, Obinim and Kofi Akwettey rushed on him and Obinim made an attempt to hit him with the pinch bar but he blocked it with his left arm and stood up with the intention to defend himself.
The two, he narrated, pushed him to a corner and when he raised his hands to protect his head from being hit with the bar, Obinim rather hit his ribs severally with the said bar.
According to him, at that time, all the people in the studio, with the exception of the Mallam, had run away. The Mallam, he indicated, came to his rescue by holding the pinch bar and through that he managed to escape. He said while running away from the studio, Kofi Akwettey held him firmly but he released his shirt over his head, leaving it in Akwettey’s hands and ran.
He said when he got out, he noticed that the door had been locked with padlocks. In order not for Obinim to come after him with the pinch bar, he said he scaled the wall and fell on the street.
Due to the pain in his ribs, he said he could not stand on his feet properly but however managed to go to the Adabraka police station to lodge a complaint.
When he got there, his two producers were already at the police station. He indicated that later, Obinim and his pastor were brought in by the police but they rather complained that they had been assaulted at Hot FM.
He said the police initially wanted to detain him Okatakyie but after observing his condition, they issued a medical report for him to attend hospital.
Mr. Okatakyie said he was not expecting Obinim and his people at the studio because their presence was not announced to him by the receptionist. He added that while running out of the studio, he noticed two glass doors and others had been destroyed. He however indicated that he did not know what happened to the equipment in the studio because he ran out to save his life.
He also informed the court that the microphones at the studio were on so at the time the incident occurred, they picked sound bite of what was happening.
According to the witness, Kingsley Baah was with the two but did not take part in the assault.
Okatakyie has been working with Hot FM for three years and has hosted the programme for over two years.
The case has been adjourned to April 6 for the defence, lawyer, Kwame Afriyie, to cross-examine the witness.
By Mary Anane
