By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay
The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) in Nigeria has weighed in on the controversy surrounding the testimony by Fatmata Edna Kargbo, who until a few weeks ago was the State Chief of Protocol at the Office of the President of Sierra Leone.
Mrs Kargbo, who was visiting the Nigerian church, was shown live on Emmanuel TV giving her testimony in front of Prophet TB Joshua. The most controversial point of her testimony was her reference to a house which she projected, saying she had completed after ten years of construction work.
Emmanuel TV, which is owned by SCOAN, posted a ten-minute long video defending Kargbo. In the video, Kargbo is heard saying her achievement was a result of the New Money Water the church had given her.
“I was particularly going through the stress of constructing a house that I had constructed for ten years without finishing. So, I said God was going to liberate me from that bondage,” she says in the video.
“I prayed and, in the morning, I would go right round and spray the water on the plot of land. To God be the glory, after 14 years the house that I had constructed [for] ten years without finishing, exactly 14 years I was able to complete it by the grace of God”, she goes on.
Kargbo has since her controversial testimony come under investigations by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) who say they are investigating her for unexplained wealth and abuse of office.
A spokesperson for the ACC, Success Sei Kamara told Politico: “Such testimony we think is a cause for concern.”
The video from Emmanuel TV described Kargbo as “patriotic”. Clips and narrations show that that was not the first time she had given testimony in the church. Emmanuel TV said she had been travelling to the church since 2014.
In 2014 she convinced former President Ernest Bai Koroma to write to the church and request for spiritual assistance.
Narrations in the video says: “You have heard for yourself. What is controversial there? What do you need to know about this woman? She has so much love in her heart for her country. In 2014, she ran to her President [Ernest Koroma] when Ebola struck the nation and the President sent a letter to the Synagogue for divine assistance.”
That request was followed by the SCOAN providing US$50,000 cash and 4,000 bottles of anointing water as contribution to the fight against Ebola in Sierra Leone.
“Does she now deserve this treatment?” the video concluded.
Mrs Kargbo has since been sent on leave of absence, pending the ACC investigation.
