Agona Swedru District Magistrate’s Court has remanded into prison custody a pastor, Rev. Isaac Newton, 31, for allegedly raping a church member at knife point in his living room at Agona Nyakrom in the Central Region.

Police Sergeant Emmanuel Agbafe told the court that at about 8p.m. on May 28, 2014, the victim and others attended an all-night prayer meeting where the presiding pastor, Rev. Newton, told her in  confidence that he had a vision about her during the prayer time.

According to Sgt. Agbafe, Newton told the victim that her grandmother had given her some evil beads which she was wearing and invited her to come to his house for counselling and deliverance.

At about 8:40 a.m.the next day, the victim went to Newton’s place and he told her to remove the beads around her waist, but she declined on the grounds that she was a married woman and therefore preferred him coming over to her house instead,’ the prosecutor stated.

Sgt. Agbafe said the suggestion by the victim angered Newton who pulled a knife with which he tore the victim’s beads after pulling down her slit and demanded for sex which she declined.

‘Newton then shoved the victim onto his bed and threatened to kill her if she dared scream. He eventually succeeded in  carnally knowing her,’ Sgt. Agbafe said.

The prosecutor added that after the act, Newton apologised for what he had done and begged the victim not to disclose it to anyone.

The apology notwithstanding, the victim reported the matter to the Nyakrom Police who gave her a medical report form to go to the hospital after which Newton was arrested .

The prosecutor said the case was later referred to the Domestic Violence Victims Support Unit, (DOVVSU), of the Agona Swedru Divisional Police Command, where Newton admitted to the offence. He was, therefore, charged with the offence of rape contrary to Section 97 of the Criminal Offences Act 29/60.

When he appeared in court on Thursday, June 2, 2014, the Magistrate, Mr Isaac Apeatu, did not take Newton’s plea and remanded him until June 23, pending a directive from the Attorney-General’s Department.