The mothers of the two teenagers who were beaten by the founder of the International Godsway Church, Daniel Obinim during a church service have jumped to his defence amid widespread public criticism.

A video showing Obinim, whipping the two teenagers with a belt during a service at the church for allegedly engaging in sexual relations and attempting to abort a subsequent pregnancy, went viral on social media provoking condemnation from most Ghanaians.

However, according to mothers of the two, the actions of their children were immoral and God had only used the preacher to punish them.

The mother of the sixteen-year-old boy believes the treatment meted out to her son by Obinim would serve as a deterrent to other potential fornicators.

“God used Obinim to flog the children so that other young people will learn from it and the young ladies will take care of themselves. To me it was very necessary because it is a lesson that everybody should learn from,” she said.

“The revelation came when he was having a live program. I support my father Obinim. I have come to respect him even more.”

‘I would have flogged her myself’

The mother of the fourteen-year-old-girl, who said she witnessed the flogging from amongst the church congregation stated that she only restrained herself from also beating her daughter that day, out of respect for Obinim.

She spoke of her struggles in raising her daughter following the death of her husband and expressed appreciation to Obinim for ‘setting her child on the right path’

“When I heard her name, I stood up and when I realized God had used Obinim to discipline her, I was very happy. She was very young when her father died and I don’t want to recount how difficult it was for me to take care of her, she said.

“In recent times I’ve had to pick sachets from the streets and sell to get money. If she had me in mind and realized how I was suffering, she wouldn’t have done what she did. I revere the man of God else I would have gone for the belt to whip her myself. I thank God he exposed their wrongdoing.”

Obinim sued

A private legal practitioner, Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu, along with two others, has sued Obinim and his church over the incident.

The police have indicated that they are , while the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has filed a complaint against Obinim at the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU).

Another complaint had been reportedly been filed against the controversial preacher at the Tema General Office.

Meanwhile, Daniel Obinim, has stated that he would cooperate with any investigation by the police into the incident.

“If they think they have every reason to invite him, he is a law abiding citizen of this country. He will avail himself for any questioning or any investigation,” his media aide, Joseph Osei Brenyah said .

Obinim had earlier responded to the criticism directed at him for his actions, describing some Ghanaians as for judging him for his actions.

“The Bible in Proverbs says if you love your child, you discipline them. That is why I beat the children, because of their immorality… For some of you, if it were your child, you would have beaten them more than I did,” Obinim said.

“If it were your child, would you sit there for them to spoil? The kids are by my side, should I throw them out for this or what? Do not speak about things you don’t understand.

source:citifmonline