PASTOR MENSA-OTABIL’S CURRENT TRAVEL TO AMERICA.

WHY ALL HEADS OF OUR NATIONAL

SECURITY, INVESTIGATIVE AND PROSECUTION AGENCIES MUST LOSE THEIR JOBS _- K Kakraba
Pratt_

Folks, this is not one of those Hausa kooko attack moments. This is serious stuff after a dinner of
konkonte with hot pepper sauce which is giving me a sleepless night.

I woke up yesterday to news that one of the main persons allegedly implicated by two official
reports commissioned by no less an organization as the Central Bank of Ghana, for his role, action
and or inaction resulting in the collapse of Capital Bank, Pastor Mensa-Otabil has travelled to the
United States of America. I asked myself why? Why was he allowed to continue to be in possession
of his passport and allowed to leave the country at a time that he is clearly a person of interest to
the nation in its quest to investigate and get to the bottom of the scandal that has engulfed our
banking sector and nearly collapsed our economy. We are forgetting that lack of a proper in-depth
transparent and accurate judicious enquiry to deal with this matter will increase the lack of
confidence in the sector and also affect investor confidence in our economy?

It is clearly apparent that Mr Otabil May have a lot of information that will assist the authorities in
tracing at least 620 Million dollars of magic money that was granted to Capital Bank to keep it
afloat. Where the money went and why it went and help discover who else may have contributed
to the wanton dissipation of the bail out money, even if he personally has done nothing wrong.

Come on folks, before any of you accuse me or anybody demanding answers and making sure that
this matter does not die a natural death, or witch hunting, let me stress that the esteemed Man of
God is not a witch. Nobody can hunt him if all his actions and inactions were sincere and above
board without any malice aforethought. Also please note that this is not the first time the
renowned spiritual leader and father and judges has travelled to the United States or any other
country. We have never been concerned with his previous travels to America. But we are all
witnesses to the fact that a precedence has been established where people who are of interest to
the nation in such uncleared events are prevented from traveling. A case in point is the business
man Alfred Agbesi Woyome, who is in the news for a fraction of the amount Otabil is allegedly
connected with. Another is the erstwhile CEO of Cocobod, Mr Opuni, to just mention two cases.
These persons of interest to the state have had their passports impounded and their assets frozen
while their various cases are at different stages of investigations, prosecutions and resolution. So
why on earth is this “animal farm” treatment of the darling Pastor of the establishment, who has
to approve and pray for the national budget before even parliament gets to hear it? Why a
different treatment for Woyome and Opuni but a “kids glove” treatment for Osofo Otabil? Is he
more equal than other suspected infringers of the law in Ghana?
Ordinarily, it would not have mattered if Otabil had travelled to America or Akim Oda. But there
seemed to be evidence available to the Bank of Ghana at least, on the face of it, that Otabil
personally took a loan of 150 million dollars out of the 620 million and also took 37 million on
behalf of his church ICGC, which does not appear to have landed in any of the accounts of the
church. Just last week, there seems to be evidence suggesting the existence of Pastor Otabil’s
huge investments in real estates and mansions in the state of Virginia in America, circulating on
social media. A fact that has not been denied by either the Pastor or any of his “ Arch Bishop
Ghanaians must shut up” spokes persons. This would also suggest that there could be more
undisclosed investments in America. Why would the apparatus of state allow him to travel to
America where there could be the possibility of concealing and covering up such investments,
which could then hamper our ability to trace and retrieve any such monies in the event that he is
found culpable and we need to utilize the existence of such investments and proceeds from them
to defray part of our 620 million?

Also a text message exchange between the Pastor and his long time friend, Reverend Dr. Saddick
Arthur, who lives in America and who was his confidant until very recently when they had a falling
out over what may not be a spiritual clerical friendly dispute, indicated that Pastor Mensa-Otabil
has since March of this year been making enquiries as to how to acquire an American Green Card.
( by the way American green card is not for cleaning the environment but a legal terminology for
permanent residence status in America) in the text message exchanges, the Pastor is supposedly
asking about average income levels in America and how much a family may require in order to
survive in America. If these otherwise seemingly enquiries in their individual cases, when put
together cannot be wildly be interpreted as somebody seeking an alternative residence other than
in Ghana, then a common sense university needs to be established in Ghana for some of us.

It is also worth noting that yesterday, another leading member of the ICGC pastoral team based in
America Rev Mattison Safo, in charge of the ICGC Destiny Chapel in Texas, lunched a special
fundraising drive to raise a target of $20,000 USD by this Sunday for the upkeep and welfare of our
esteemed Pastor. This is over and above what he is entitled to as the International head of the
church on his usual visits and trips to the United States of America. Why would ICGC seek to fund-
raise for the upkeep of Pastor Mensa-Otabil who is already rich and may not need any financial
assistance ( with 150 million dollars in his back pocket) rather than set up a welfare fund for his
victims? Some of whom have had to sell their houses, can’t pay for children’s education or feed
their families as a result with either loosing their jobs or