A Ghanaian pastor based in Canada is grabbing headlines in the North American country after impregnating a church member and then having the nerve to deny being the father of the child.
Martin Kofi Danso is the founder and leader of the Miracle Arena for All Nations, a church which about 17 branches.
Danso, who is married with four kids to JoAnne Danso, known in the church as ‘Mama’, allegedly had s£x with a former church member identified as Chris-Ann Bartley.
The preacher denied having ever having s£xual intercourse with Chris-Ann – whose child is now six months old – and thus filed for a publication ban to hide his identity during the court case as he believed it would harm his reputation if the news came out that he was embroiled in a paternity case.
Hiw lawyers argued that news of the allegations against him could harm his “significant commercial/financial interests”.
However, lawyer for Chris-Ann Bartley argued that the public needed to know for a fact what kind of man the preacher is.
“There is significant public interest in this case,” Theodora Oprea told the court.
“He presents himself as a leader of a church … a moral, religious, family man,”, an image which is obviously disproved by his actions with Bartley who he impregnated then tried to deny responsibility of her kid.
A previous judge had approved the ban but it was lifted by Ontario Superior Court Justice Fred Myers and thus the pastor’s identity has now come out.
Oprea told Canadian publication The Star that despite the preacher’s denials, a DNA test has confirmed him as the father of the child.
His church members and the general public can now find out for a fact the kind of crook he is with the lifting of the publication ban.
The judge also ordered Danso to pay $4,500 to cover his ‘baby mama’s’ legal costs.
Chris-Ann’s lawyer said the case is not over as they still have to determine matters of child support and custody.
As we’re finding out here in Ghana with Mensa Otabil, pastors are given too much respect which they abuse for their own selfish ends. Unfortunately, their congregations continue to place them on a pedestal and thus they also continue to screw them over.