Several pastors belonging to the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) say they have received death threats from an unknown individual demanding money from them.
According to one of the members, who is also the General Overseer of the Miracle Life Gospel Church, Rev.
Gordon Kisseih, he received a message yesterday at 5:50pm from an unknown number. The message threatened his life, that of his family and the lives of 5,000 of his congregation.
Rev. Kisseih said the content of the message added the only way to stop this from happening was that he should send them money. Although the General Overseer refused to disclose how much was demanded, he stated that he thought the message was a joke.
Nonetheless, he asked his administrator to officially report to the Police which prompted them to start a patrol in his area yesterday. Rev. Kisseih also mentioned that the Police requested for the number of the assailant and called him, but the assailant said: “He was in Nsawam and that he wasn’t in Accra”.
According to Rev. Kissieh, “The person sent a second threat message after the police had left, saying that not even the police can unravel their network and that his identity cannot be disclosed” When Joy News’ Michaela Anderson asked Rev. Kisseih why anybody would want to kill him, he said, “That is what evil does. Evil does evil things to good people.
When someone meets you in traffic and shoots you for doing nothing, the person is gone away with it; that is evil.” He said the assailant, “just said do this or we’ll kill you.” Rev. Kisseih says he’s worried because other colleague pastors who double as key members of the GPCC; the current General Overseer of the Full Gospel Church International in Tema, Bishop S.N Mensah, and Apostle Anyani Boadu have also complained of receiving similar death threats messages.
According to Bishop Mensah, he was in his office at about the same time [5:00 pm] when he saw the message to send money or his family will be wiped. “I called other members of the GPCC only to be told by four others that they have also received the same threat message from the same telephone number,” Bishop Mensah told Joy News.
He said it is difficult to connect and tell why this is happening as he does not have any idea who is doing this. The pastors said they were surprised Thursday morning when the assailant sent another message asking whether they were still sending the money.
Threatened members of the GPCC are questioning why anybody would want to kill pastors who belong to the same organization whilst demanding police protection. Meanwhile, the Police in Tema Community 11 says they are investigating the issue.
According to ACP Juliana Obeng, the police are assuring the residents in Tema where some of the pastors and the families live are safe. ACP Obeng said the case has been referred to the regional level from the district station. She, however, said it is not prudent to talk about the security measures taken as this will endanger the safety of those threatened.
