Bishop took advantage of my problems • Complainant tells court

Thursday, December 17, 2009 (Page 3 Lead)

MS Clova Sutherland, the British woman who was allegedly defrauded to the tune of £120,000 by the General Overseer of the Vineyard Chapel International, Bishop Vagalas Kanco, yesterday stated that Bishop Kanco took advantage of her problems to defraud her.
She said she did not anticipate Bishop Kanco was capable of defrauding her because she parted with the £120,000 cheque in the belief that Bishop Kanco would pray over it and return it to her.
Bishop Kanco is standing trial at the Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding Ms Sutherland to the tune of £120,000.
He was alleged to have lured the complainant into believing that she would die if she did not allow him to pray over a £120,000 cheque she had issued in the name of her former lover who Bishop Kanco had described as evil.
According to the prosecution, Bishop Kanco managed to convince the complainant to re-issue the cheque in his name in order for him to pray over it and return it to her on a later date but he has denied any wrongdoing, claiming the money was a gift.
Bishop Kanco, who has pleaded not guilty to one count of defrauding by false pretence, has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢300,000 with three sureties, one to be justified by the court, presided over by Mr D. E. K. Daketsey.
Answering questions under cross-examination from lead counsel for Bishop Kanco, Dr Dominic Ayine, Ms Sutherland explained that she was sometime in 2003 having problems with her former lover and she informed Bishop Kanco of it during a crusade in London, adding that during a counselling session Bishop Kanco advised her not to directly hand over the £120,000 cheque to her former lover unless she had re-issued the cheque in his (Kanko’s) name for him to pray over it and return it to her.
"I had reason to believe that the accused person could honour his word considering the fact that he was a man of God," Ms Sutherland told the court.
She also told the court that she was very spiritual and normally donated between £5 and ¢50 to support church activities but insisted she was not a billionaire to have parted with £120,000 as a gift.
The following transpired between one of the lawyers for Bishop Kanco, Mr Kissi Agyemeng, and Ms Sutherland:
Mr Agyemeng: Did you tell your solicitors the accused person was to pray over your cheque and return it to you?
Ms Sutherland: I did not.
Mr Agyemeng: Why didn't you instruct your solicitors to that effect?
Ms Sutherland: I did not consider it as necessary because I was expecting a return of the cheque.
Mr Agyemeng: Did your solicitors express concern why the cheque was re-issued in another person's name?
Ms Sutherland: They did not.
Ms Sutherland, who has since finished with her evidence, also told the court that she did not report Bishop Kanco's behaviour to the British authorities because he was not a British national and did not also have a permanent address in the United Kingdom.
Hearing continues on January 8, 2009.