Jesus Onetouch appeals

June 11, 2011 (Page 3 lead)

THE convicted ‘Prophet’ of the Jesus Blood Prophetic Ministry, Nana Kofi Yirenkyi, has filed an appeal against his 10-year sentence for defiling his 10-year-old daughter.
The convict, also known as Jesus One Touch, is praying the Accra High Court to quash the decision of the circuit court which found him guilty on two counts of incest and defilement.
He is currently serving his term at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison.
According to the grounds of appeal filed on behalf of the convict by his lawyer, Mr K.N. Adomako Acheampong, the trial court erred in not considering the evidence of a seasoned gynaecologist and a police officer which cast serious doubts on the prosecution's case.
The appellant argued that that doubt should have inured to his benefit, in accordance with the law.
According to him, the trial judge relied on the weak and unbelievable story of two prosecution witnesses, to his disadvantage.
The appeal was called at the High Court in Accra, presided over by Mr Justice E.F. Dzakpasu, yesterday, but a Chief State Attorney, Mr Anthony Rexford Wiredu, informed the court that the statement of case of the prosecution would be filed on Monday, June 13, 2011.
According to Mr Wiredu, he had had discussions with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and there was an indication that the prosecution would file a short address.
The case was, accordingly, adjourned to Wednesday, June 15, 2011.
The appellant was absent in court.
On January 20, 2011, the premises of the Cocoa Affairs Court was turned into a funeral ground as church and family members, as well as sympathisers, of the convict wailed after he had been committed to jail.
The facts of the case were that the 10-year-old victim confessed that the convict, after bouts of sexual intercourse with her, wiped off the sperms from his sexual organ and the fluids from her vagina with a white handkerchief.
According to the prosecution, the victim, who was born out of wedlock, lived with her mother at Dawu in Akuapem until 2005 when she relocated to Accra to live with her father at McCarthy Hill to attend school.
In the latter part of 2007, the convict began having sex with the victim, each time before he organised a church service.
In November 2009, the convict gave the victim's mother an opportunity to hold discussions with the victim on a bad behaviour she was exhibiting.
During the interaction with her mother, the victim revealed her ordeal to her, which resulted in the woman lodging a complaint with the police.