Abducted Pentecost Deacon Released
The Ghana High Commissioner to South Africa, His Excellency Charles Owiredu has announced the release of a deacon of the Church of Pentecost branch in South Africa who was kidnapped.
The victim was kidnapped during a robbery operation in the church during service on Sunday.
The Ghana High Commissioner shared the latest development on his Twitter page on Wednesday, October 1, 2023, three days after the incident.
According to him, the victim is now with his family.
“The Church of Pentecost Deacon/Elder was freed last night. He is with his family now,” he said without any further details about the incident.
Background
A branch of the Church of Pentecost Ghana in Johannesburg, South Africa, was robbed at gunpoint during a service on Sunday, October 29, 2023.
A video of the incident, intercepted by opemsuo.com, showed the church’s leader at the pulpit preaching. He suddenly flinched, raised his hand, and knelt.
The four-minute, forty-nine seconds video showed the church’s organist, who was seated behind the pulpit, lying down. Then, a hand appeared clutching a gun pointed at them. Two of the robbers were seen moving back and forth on the pulpit, picking up any valuables they laid their eyes and hands on.
The video captured just the event on the pulpit without the congregation.
Confirming the incident in a statement, the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria said, “The attention of the High Commission of the Republic of Ghana has been drawn to an incident in which members of the congregation of the Johannesburg branch of the Ghanaian Church of Pentecost were robbed of their valuables at gunpoint.”
It also confirmed a Deacon of the church had been kidnapped and added that it was working with the Church and the South Africa Police Service (SAPS) to ensure the “speedy and safe” release and return of the victim.
