Lawyer for former Member of Parliament Sarah Adwoa Safo, Kwame Boafo Akuffo, has rejected reports suggesting that the reading of the will of the late Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo has legally settled the leadership of the Kristo Asafo Mission in favour of Israel Kwadwo Safo, popularly known as Akofena.
Addressing a press briefing on Tuesday, Mr. Boafo Akuffo said media reports and public commentary claiming that the will had installed Akofena as the new leader of the church were inaccurate and misrepresented the contents of the document.
According to him, the reading of a will does not determine the leadership of the Kristo Asafo Mission, arguing that the church operates under its own constitutional procedures rather than through testamentary provisions.
“The reading of a will in itself does not settle the leadership position because the Kristo Asafo Mission operates on the basis of constitutional process. That constitutional process is not anchored on a will which is yet to be admitted to probate,” he said.
The lawyer further maintained that no provision in the will expressly appoints any individual as the next leader of the church.
“There is no part of the will which anointed any individual as the next leader of the church,” he stated.
Mr. Boafo Akuffo said Clause 27 of the will merely refers to a male biological child being eligible to ascend to the leadership position but does not identify any specific person as successor.
He described assertions that the will had conclusively named a new church leader as “inaccurate, improper” and “completely wrong.”
The lawyer also questioned the legality of the process through which Akofena is said to have assumed the leadership of the church.
According to him, before the events that culminated in the attempted installation, his client had secured an interim injunction which was served on her brother. He alleged that despite being served, the process continued.
“Despite the service of the injunction, he went ahead and engaged in the process which… is null and void, and it is a matter of time that clarification will come to bear on the issues,” he said.
Mr. Boafo Akuffo argued that, in view of the pending court order, there is currently no lawfully installed leader of the Kristo Asafo Mission.
“For those who understand and are minded to respect the provisions of the law, there’s no properly installed leader of the church,” he said.
He further alleged that the installation process was fundamentally flawed because it was carried out in disregard of the injunction and referred to the shooting incident involving his client on the day the ceremony was scheduled to take place.
“The will does not make a leader of the church. The church runs on the constitutional process,” he reiterated.
The press briefing follows widespread reports after the reading of the late Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo’s will that Israel Kwadwo Safo, also known as Akofena, had become the new leader of the Kristo Asafo Mission.
