Pastor, wife, others jailed; fined GH¢15,000 for abusing 5-week old baby in church

The District Magistrate of the Bolgatanga District Court, Mawukoenya Nutekpor, has delivered a verdict in the case of the physical abuse of a five-week-old baby during a church service.

Reverend Kwabena Atogpeelige, the Head Pastor of Jesus Spanner Miracle Church, and five other individuals involved in the incident have been found guilty and sentenced accordingly.

The judge announced that all six accused persons pleaded guilty to the charge of physically abusing the child. As a result, they have been ordered to pay a total fine of GH¢15,000 and face seven days of imprisonment.

Of the accused, two women were seen in the video footage, with one of them swinging the baby.

The judge ruled that each woman would pay a fine, taking into consideration their circumstances. The woman caught swinging the child has been fined GH¢3,000, while the pastor's wife has been fined GH¢2,400.

In the case of the three men, including the head pastor, the judge also imposed a fine of GH¢2,400 each and sentenced them to one week of imprisonment at the Navrongo Prison center.

The judge clarified that the reason the two women were not sentenced to prison was due to the fact that they were breastfeeding children under the age of two, which requires special consideration.

The court's decision aims to ensure justice for the victim and to deter others from engaging in similar actions in the future.