Pastor nabbed for using a Presiding Member's name for loan

A pastor, Henry Afful, together with his spouse, Endurance Ayi-Mensah (Awo Korkor), went down on their knees last Friday pleading for forgiveness, after being hauled to the Winneba Magistrate Court by the Presiding Member of the Efutu Municipal Assembly, Mr Alex Afenyo Markins, for using his name to secure loans without his knowledge and approval. When the case was called, Pastor Afful pleaded with the court, presided over by Justice B. B. Atobrah, that he had no defence and pleaded that he was prepared to render an apology to the plaintiff. The two had extorted monies and contracted loans from individuals in the name of the Presiding Member to expand their business. In their apology letter, which was read in the packed to capacity court, the duo said, "We wish to retract our earlier letter titled financial assistance agreement, dated 22nd July 2009, and the contents particularly describing the plaintiff, Mr. Alex Afenyo Markins, as being irresponsible and apologise for the injury that the said letter might have caused his person and his reputation." Henry Afful and Awo Korkor emphatically stated, "We wish to say that we did not mean any malice, and therefore apologise for the inconvenience that the said letter might have caused him. We are writing this letter in good faith, and holding an olive branch for a peaceful settlement of the issue." The court, after listening to the apology letter, struck out the case, and awarded no costs against the defendants. The plaintiff, a businessman cum politician, hauled the pastor and his wife before the court, seeking a perpetual injunction on the defendants, on their moves to drag his name into the mud, by soliciting funds in his name. Joined in the legal suit, was the mother of Awo Korkor, Mad. Agartha Koomson. Markins told the court that because he was born and bred in Winneba, coupled with the fact that he was a promising politician, he would not allow anybody to unjustifiably ruin his hard won image. Source: Chronicle/Ghana