Lawyer Kwame Akuffo, counsel for six children of the late Apostle Emeritus Professor Ing. Kwadwo Safo, has dismissed claims that the reading of the church founder’s will automatically makes Israel Nana Kwadwo Safo, popularly known as Akofena, the leader of the Kristo Asafo Mission.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, a day after the reading of the late founder’s will, Mr. Akuffo maintained that the document contains no provision appointing, confirming or declaring Akofena as the head of the church.
According to him, the leadership of the Kristo Asafo Mission is governed solely by the church’s constitution and not by the testamentary wishes of its founder.
“The will does not establish the leadership of the church. Leadership of the Kristo Asafo Mission is governed by the church’s constitution, not by the testamentary wishes of the deceased,” he told journalists.
Mr. Akuffo, who represents six of the late Apostle’s children, including former Member of Parliament Sarah Adwoa Safo, said his clients have instructed him to commence legal proceedings to seek a judicial interpretation of the constitutional provisions governing succession within the church.
He explained that while the will deals with the distribution of the late founder’s estate, it neither overrides nor amends the constitutional framework that regulates the leadership of the Kristo Asafo Mission.
The lawyer further claimed that although Akofena had at one point been identified by his father as a potential successor, subsequent events altered that arrangement.
According to him, the late Apostle later relieved Akofena of certain leadership responsibilities within sections of the Kristo Asafo organisation and subsequently amended the church’s constitutional provisions on succession.
Mr. Akuffo argued that those constitutional amendments, rather than the contents of the will, should determine who is qualified to lead the church.
He questioned the legal basis for relying solely on the will to determine the church’s leadership where the constitution provides otherwise.
The lawyer also maintained that any omission in the will to reflect subsequent constitutional amendments does not invalidate or supersede the church’s constitution, insisting that the constitution remains the supreme governing instrument on matters relating to church leadership.
Mr. Akuffo disclosed that his clients have filed an interlocutory injunction against Akofena pending the determination of the succession dispute.
He further argued that there is currently no properly installed leader of the Kristo Asafo Mission and that any claim to the position should await the outcome of the pending legal proceedings.
The succession dispute within the Kristo Asafo Mission has attracted widespread public attention following the death of Apostle Emeritus Professor Ing. Kwadwo Safo, with differing interpretations emerging over the legal effect of his will and the church’s constitutional provisions.
The legal action initiated by the six siblings is expected to seek judicial clarification on whether the appointment of the next leader of the Kristo Asafo Mission should be determined by the church’s constitution or the late founder’s will.
For more news, join The Chronicle Newspaper channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBSs55E50UqNPvSOm2z
The post Will Does Not Determine Kristo Asafo Leadership –Lawyer appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS