PASTOR ARRESTED
PANDEMONIUM broke out yesterday as police reinforced immigration to force a Nigeria pastor of Omega Fire Ministries in Lusaka, Austine Obosele from his house in Ibex Hill where he had holed up with his family to avoid deportation.
The pastor’s pregnant wife, an assistant pastor of the same church was arrested for fighting policemen who were forcefully removing her husband from the house. Church members also took part in the melee that followed with some chasing the police vehicle, while others were going inside the house to retrieve the children who were chocking on the teargas.
Earlier, the police tried to break down the main door to the house where Pastor Obosele and his family had locked themselves in with a big hammer, when immigration officers went to pick the pastor for deportation.
The armed police officers also threatened to throw teargas in the house if the family did not voluntarily open the door, with congregants begging the officers not to take such action as there were children in the house.
After several attempts by police to break down the thick door, the pastor’s wife opened the door and jumped on one of the female immigration officers.
“What do you want from us, we told you to leave us alone, we have done nothing wrong but you keep on following us,” she shouted.
When the pastor came to the rescue of his wife, who by then was pinned down by police officers, with congregants also trying to help out, one of the officers fired a teargas canister.
The congregation scattered while a few brave ones, those choked with teargas tried to retrieve the children who were still in the house.
The pastor’s wife was immediately dropped at the nearby Kalikiliki Police Station, while the husband was proceeded to the immigration Head Office with the congregation trailing them.