One of the more disturbing things about Ghana is the lack of respect for and standing of women in their society. That’s not to say it’s completely oppressive as the country is progressing, but it is most definitely decades behind that of the U.S. When I first came to Ghana, my friend and I attended a North America Women’s Association (NAWA) function one evening, where we listened to a female attorney speak about some of the atrocities that occur to women and young girls. She threw out several statistics that floored both of us, most of which resulted in high incidences of sexual abuse and assault; particularly for young girls.
Additionally, we have heard stories about witchcraft, voodoo, and fetish priests. Although the Ghanaians are a very religious society, they believe strongly in the spirits. There are formal law enforcement agencies – police and the military – but the local chiefs are highly revered. Evidently, so are fetish priests. Most villages have just one chief, but several fetish priests. According to one website I found, “a chief operates in the public, political sphere of life while a fetish priest operates in a more private, religious sphere.” Fetish priests are thought to be possessed by a god or spirit.
With all that being said, last night Dave brought home “The Daily Graphic,” the local newspaper. On the front page, in big bold letters I read, “Pastor Rapes 5 Sisters.” Below is that article. You have to read it to believe it…
“The Head Pastor of the African Faith Tabernacle Church, Rev. Paul Nkansah, has been arrested for allegedly raping five sisters at Akyem Achiase in the Eastern Region. Rev. Nkansah, who was alleged to have confessed to having affairs with the five sisters, said he committed the crime on the orders of some celestial powers.
The sexual escapade of the pastor came to light when a sister of the victims, Afia Baby, fell ill and was sent to the pastor for spiritual healing but died in the process. Not satisfied with circumstances leading to the death of Baby, her relatives consulted an oracle (a fetish priest), which revealed that Pastor Nkansah could not cure the girl because he had committed an abomination by allegedly raping five sisters and involving curses on a sixth person, who is a relative of the deceased.
On the basis of the revelation by the oracle, the mother of the victims confronted her daughters, who confessed that the pastor had raped them. The mother reported the case to the tribal authorites, who convened a meeting of chiefs to listen to the complaint.
At that meeting, which was attended by the Pastor and some of his church members, one of the victims narrated the circumstances under which Pastor Nkansah raped her. According to her, she visited her sister who was receiving treatment at his prayer camp. She said during the visit, the Pastor claimed that the spirit had revealed to him and that she was being tormented by evil spirits and therefore, needed deliverance.
Pastor Nkansah was said to have told the woman to bring a piece of cloth and also demanded GH¢ 1,200 (approximately $800) and advised her to add the cloth to the money, put them under her pillow and sleep on them for one week before submitting them to him.
The woman alleged that when she sent the items to the pastor, he told her to wait until midnight when the ritual could be performed to neutralize the evil forces tormenting her.
She said at midnight, the pastor poured water and oil into a bucket and sent her to a bush on a hill and instructed her to strip naked and bathe. She said on their return to the prayer camp, the Pastor invited her to his bedroom where he smeared her body with anointing oil before telling her that he had been instructed by the ‘Holy Spirit’ to have sex with her, which was necessary for her deliverance, a request which she resisted.
The victim said the Pastor dipped his hands into a glass and took some powder and sprinkled it on her face and body. She said she became unconscious and when she regained consciousness, she realized that she had been raped by Pastor Nkansah, who warned her not to reveal her ordeal to anyone, otherwise she would die prematurely.
The other four victims, including a 15-year-old junior high school student, also revealed how they were allegedly raped by the pastor using the same tricks.
After admitting his guilt of committing incent and casting a spell on the family of the victims, Pastor Nkansah was fined a ram and two bottles of schnapps.
The tribe then handed the pastor over to plain-clothes policemen who whisked him away to the Oda District Police Headquarters, where he was placed in custody to assist in investigations.”
Really? The chiefs fined him meat and alcohol? Thank God he was then taken to real law enforcement authorities. That’s not to say anything further is going to happen to him, but one can only hope that justice will prevail.
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