Two other members of the church who were also convicted have been freed after the payment of their fines by Apostle Richard Buafor, the immediate past General Overseer of the Lord’s Pentecostal Church.
Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama disclosed their release.
“Thank you very much Apostle Richard Buafor. I am informed that Apostle Sampson Agakpe and his two other church colleagues have, apparently, been freed following the payment of a fine of GH¢26,400.00 by Apostle Buafor, who is the immediate past General Overseer of the Lord’s Pentecostal Church,” the former president wrote on his Facebook page.
Mr Mahama had earlier called on President Akufo Addo to grant the convicted men of God clemency, arguing their continued stay in prison is unfair given the fact that they [politicians] are equally guilty of the same offence for which they had been sentenced.
Apostle Sampson Agakpe, the founder of the Church of Pure Christ, Assistant Pastor, Maxwell Dzogoedzikpe and Church Secretary, Samuel Agakpe were arrested on April 12 for holding a church service contrary to the president’s orders.
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They were arraigned before the Kpando Circuit Court where they pleaded guilty to flouting the ban put in place under the Imposition of Restrictions Act 2020 and subsequently sentenced.
Mr. Agakpe and his accomplices were fined GH¢13,200 each, or to serve four years in prison in default.
As of Thursday, April 16, the convicts had failed to pay the monies totaling GH¢39,600 and they were sent to the Ho Central Prison to begin their four-year sentence.