Despite being granted bail in the sum of GHC2 million in his bid to overturn a four-year jail sentence, Pastor Love Hammond was returned to the Nsawam Medium Security Prison on Friday, 15 November 2024.
On Friday, the Accra High Court granted bail to Pastor Love following an application by his lawyer, Kwame Yeboah, pending the appeal of his initial sentence. However, according to Angel FM's court correspondent, Ama Brago, Pastor Love failed to immediately meet the bail conditions set by the court and was thus returned to prison.
“As I speak to you, he has been returned to Nsawam, where Pastor Love Hammond was brought from. The GHC2 million was not the only condition of the bail; it also includes justification,” she stated.
According to the report, the bail conditions include GHC2 million with two sureties, who must justify their assets with a landed property within the court's jurisdiction. Pastor Love must also surrender his passport to the court registry and report to the police every Tuesday until his appeal is decided.
“I spoke to his lawyer, who expressed confidence in eventually meeting the bail conditions. He emphasised that he had already spoken to Pastor Love about the need for patience, as fulfilling the bail conditions might take some time,” the correspondent added.
“This is because they now need to secure two sureties with the required properties and valid documentation. Then, a valuer will assess the properties to ensure they meet the required amount. His lawyer advised him in court to exercise patience and return to jail while they work on meeting the bail requirement,” she explained.
In October 2024, Pastor Love was sentenced following a protracted legal dispute over the sale of a friend’s car, for which he failed to account for the proceeds. The case, dating back to 2017, led to Pastor Love being found guilty of theft, misappropriation, and dishonesty.
Background
The case originated from a 2016 agreement between Pastor Love and the complainant, Samuel Amankwah. Amankwah had imported a Toyota Highlander into Ghana and entrusted Pastor Love with the vehicle, asking him to clear it through customs, with a promise to reimburse him for the costs.
Amankwah later instructed Pastor Love to sell the car for $50,000 and deduct the clearing fees from the proceeds. However, in April 2017, Amankwah changed his mind, planning to return to Ghana and intending to pay Pastor Love directly for the clearing costs.
Upon returning, Amankwah discovered that Pastor Love had neither the car nor the sale proceeds, despite repeated requests. Following his arrest, Pastor Love admitted he had sold the car without Amankwah’s consent. He claimed he had taken a GHC40,000 loan to clear the car, which was accumulating interest, and sold the vehicle for GHC80,000, using GHC70,000 to pay off the debt. However, he failed to provide evidence for these claims and could not identify the buyer or the loan company.
During the trial, Pastor Love pleaded for leniency as a first-time offender, expressing a willingness to pay a fine. However, Justice Isaac Addo dismissed his plea and proceeded with sentencing.
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