The Supreme Court has overturned an earlier ruling that confirmed Opanyin Abraham Kwaku Adusei as the leader of the Saviour Church at Osiem in the Eastern Region.
This was in a four-three majority decision by a seven-member panel of the apex court.
It followed an appeal filed by the plaintiffs, Mr Asante Asirifi Dadeako and two others, who sought to restrain Opanyin Abraham from using the name of the church to do spiritual and religious activities.
The Apex Court in November 2021, in a three-two majority decision by a five-member panel, confirmed the former Council of State member under the erstwhile Mahama administration as the leader of the church.
The ruling followed 24 years of litigation after the death of Isaac Asirifi Asante when some members initiated legal action to restrain Opanyin Adusei as the General Superintendent and from using the name of the church to do spiritual and religious activities.
The plaintiffs alleged the church was incorporated in 2007 as a limited liability company, saying they alone had the legal right to operate with the church’s name.
They added Opanyin Adusei had exceeded his legal mandate and had been using the name of the church wrongly.
In view of this, the panel, presided over by His Lordship, Justice Dotse, ruled that Opanyin Abraham had no right to any branch or property of Saviour Church, hence cannot take custody of its own branches.
The court held that such an order would only cause confusion and bring the administration of justice into jeopardy.
It, therefore, ordered for the registration to be cancelled on the basis of fraud as records have proved that it is a fictitious entity incorporated for dubious purposes.
Other members of the panel included Justice Gabriel Pwamang, Justice Avril Lovelace-Johnson, Justice Clemence Jackson Honyenuga and Justice Issifu Omoro Tanko Amadu.
The rest are Justice Prof. Henrietta Mensah-Bonsu and Justice Yonny Kulendi.
