Preaching License Withdrawn Bu Sierra Leone Government
By Joseph S. Margai in Freetown, Sierra Leone
A Nigerian Evangelist who is Founder and General Overseer of the Christ Revival Evangelistic Ministries, also known as, “Sanctuary Praise Church”, Evangelist Victor Ajisafe, has been interrogated by the Criminal Division of the Sierra Leone Police for allegedly misrepresenting the history of the Country and called Islam a violent religion.
Evangelist Ajisafe’s Church did not open its doors last Sunday as he is being processed to face possible prosecution in Freetown. He has meanwhile publicly apologized to the government and people of Sierra Leone and said he misspoke.
When addressing his congregation on Sunday September 24, 2017, Evangelist Victor Ajisafe, who manages one of the largest congregations in Sierra Leone, among other utterances, called Islam a “violent religion of lies and deceit” and said Muslims have been responsible for “every terrorist act in the history of the world”.
On Monday, September 25th, audio and video recordings of the sermon went viral on social media causing immediate and near-universal condemnation from both Muslim and Christian Sierra Leoneans. He was arrested on Tuesday, September 26th and has not yet been charged and sent to court to face his accusers, the State prosecution.
The Independent Media Commission (IMC), which regulates all media outlets in Sierra Leone, summoned the management of Evangelist Ajisafe’s owned radio station called ‘Radio I Am’ for re-broadcast of the offensive sermon.
The Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, among other institutions, was the first to issue a press release cautioning the general public to be calm. The ministry’s press release stated that, “immediate steps were being taken to ascertain authenticity of the original audio clip purported to be the voice of a religious leader preaching hate messages based on a totally false and unfounded foundation.”
Apologizing, Evangelist Ajisafe said, “With reference to excerpts of the audio and video clips of the sermon which I preached and went viral on social media on or about the 25th September, 2017, my intention was not to stir up violence or dissensions, not to tear up the much cherished religious tolerance we enjoy as a nation or to insult any person or nation,”
According to the release, Evangelist Ajisafe was quoted as saying, “I hereby tender profuse apologies to His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma and the people of Sierra Leone, the Islamic Community, Sheik Mufti Ismail Menk, the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the Christian Community.”
Evangelist Ajisafe, in the release, said he later discovered that Sheik Mufti Ismail Menk, who he had earlier accused to have claimed that Sierra Leone was an Islamic state and the symbol of Islam did not say so.
“I have also discovered that the late ex-President, Dr. Alhaji Ahmed Tejan Kabbah did not join Sierra Leone to the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). I hereby apologize to the family of the late president and the SLPP,” he was quoted as saying in the release.
In the release, Evangelist Ajisafe said he was sent by God to “this blessed nation”, where he had lived, raised a family and labored in God’s vineyard for the past 27 years, adding that, “I deeply love our nation, Sierra Leone and therefore will not do or say anything that will jeopardize its peace and security.”
In an interview with our Correspondent October 2, 2017 at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Pademba Road in Freetown, Head of Media and Public Relations of the Sierra Leone Police, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ibrahim Samura, declined to comment on the content of the press release where Evangelist Ajisafe tendered his apology that has gone viral on social media but confirmed that the Body of Christ had last week implored him to make a public apology.
“The investigative process of the Evangelist Victor Ajisafe’s alleged offensive sermon has been completed and the file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for his perusal and legal advice,” he revealed.
Quizzed if the renowned Evangelist would be put on bail, he said he could not confirm if he would be released on bail, adding that whatever might be the outcome of the matter depends on the advice of the DPP.
There was a rumor going on that worshipers were denied access to the church premises on Sunday, September 1, 2017 and ASP Ibrahim Samura stated that the license of Evangelist Victor Ajisafe has been withheld and if that was the case, his church activities should be suspended.
