The Senior Pastor of Victory Church International, who defied the ban on noise making imposed by the traditional authority of the Anlo State, now has a change of heart.
When Pastor Devine D-Love August appeared before the Keta Circuit Court recently charged for offensive conduct, breach of peace and making unseemingly noise, he pleaded to have the case settled amicably out of court.
His counsel, Raymond Afawubo, prayed the court presided over by Mr. Kwame Folley that his client (Pastor August) should be given another opportunity to resolve the case out of court.
The accused was arraigned for violating the ban on noisemaking prior to the Hogbetsotso festival celebrated in November, in the Anlo state in the Volta Region.
The court was told by the prosecutor Chief Inspector Vincent Adabrah that despite several appeals to the accused to observe the ban as part of the customs, traditions and culture of Anlos, by the traditional authority and eminent persons, he ignored them and continued to disturb the peace through excessive noisemaking by his church.
To avoid any confrontation, the Awadada (Warlord) of the Anlo Traditional Council, Torgbui Awusu II reported Pastor D-Love August's conduct to the police.
According to Mr. Adabrah, the Divisional Police Commander was told of the accused's conduct and he invited him (Pastor August). He said though the accused was very rude to the commander he was advised to obey the law, but he went back and was still making loud noise in his church.
He said the accused was later invited several times to the police station but he failed to honour the invitation and after investigations, summons was served him to appear before the Keta Circuit Court.
At his second appearance, the Judge advised the accused to get eminent church elders and some members of the Keta Council of Churches to meet with the traditional council for an amicable settlement.
According to the Judge, the members of the congregation are under the traditional council and noted that it would not be fair for the issue which could have been resolved amicably to create enmity between father and son and directed the accused to appear in court with the outcome of the meeting on November 27.
But the traditional council in its report to the court on November 27 alleged that the accused at the meeting was recalcitrant and unrepentant and demanded that the issue be handled by the court.
However Mr. Afawubo pleaded with the court that his client be given another chance promising that he would resolve the matter before the next adjourned date which is December 20.
Two eminent citizens of the area, the former Inspector General of Police Mr. CK Dewornu and retired Naval Commander, Korku Tsidi Dovlo have been nominated by the traditional council to act as the mediators and report accurately to the court on the outcome of the meeting.
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