Isaac Barnes
The police have arrested one Isaac Barnes, who also carries the name Kojo Taabaye, for allegedly sodomizing a 12-year-old boy.
The incident happened at Senya Bereku, near Kasoa in the Central Region, and the case has been transferred to the Kasoa Divisional Police Command for further investigation.
Kojo Taabaye claims to be a pastor who is undergoing training with the religious sect known in local parlance as Awoyo.
Narrating the incident, Regina Esi Omano, who claims to be a caretaker of both the boy – who is believed to be in Class 5 – and his mother, said the suspect had been having anal sex with the boy on several occasions, but luck finally ran out for him.
She said that on Monday the school being attended by the boy asked for GH¢5 as PTA dues and the boy came home for it.
“On the way, he met the suspect and the suspect told the boy to enter his room for the GH¢5, which was under anointing oil,” Madam Esi Omano claimed, adding, “The pastor asked the little boy to take GH¢2 and bring back a balance of GH¢3.”
She continued, “So the boy decided to take the GH¢5 to school, use the GH¢2 and bring the GH¢3 change to the pastor later.”
According to the caretaker, “The pastor then followed the boy to the school, claiming he had stolen his money. The teachers intervened and started querying the pastor.”
Madam Esi Omano said it was in the course of the interrogation that the little boy spilled the beans, saying that the pastor had been having anal sexual with him but had warned that if he (boy) revealed it to anybody, he (pastor) would stab him.
The woman said the teachers immediately called in the police to pick the suspect up.
When the young boy was questioned, he confirmed the alleged abuse.
“I was going to their church. He told me he would make me his best friend. One day he pushed me down in an uncompleted building, covered my mouth with handkerchiefs and started putting his penis in my anus after removing my pant. He then warned me not to disclose it to anyone else he would stab and kill me,” the boy stated.
The boy claimed after having sex with him, the pastor cleaned his manhood with a white handkerchief.
“He gives me 50 pesewas anytime he has sex with me. He has done it to me at least four times. I have pains in my anus. When I stand I feel like attending nature’s call,” according to the victim.
The Kasoa Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintended Dennis Abade, later confirmed the arrest and said the DOVVSU had taken over the case.