Founder and Leader of Power Chapel Worldwide, Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, says he is prepared to face imprisonment rather than distance himself from his friendship with former Vice President and NPP flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
Rev. Kusi Boateng made the remarks while addressing his congregation in a video circulating on social media, in which he openly defended his relationship with Dr Bawumia and his wife, Hajia Samira Bawumia.
He said he would not pretend or distance himself from the couple because of criticism surrounding their relationship.
“If for this reason, anybody wants to imprison me, go ahead,” he said.
Referring to his previous experience of imprisonment, Rev. Kusi Boateng said he had survived incarceration before and would not be intimidated by the prospect of returning to prison.
“Prison is not for animals. It is for human beings. I have been there. I didn’t die. I came back,” he added.
The pastor maintained that his friendship with Dr Bawumia was not a crime and said he had no intention of concealing the relationship to satisfy his critics.
“I don’t care whoever thinks about it. Dr Bawumia is my friend and will continue to be my friend. I will not hide. I am not a hypocrite,” he said.
He further described Dr Bawumia and Hajia Samira Bawumia as close friends and family, insisting that he had no reason to apologise for maintaining the relationship.
National Cathedral Background
Although Rev. Kusi Boateng did not identify any specific case, investigation or government action as the reason for his reference to possible imprisonment, his comments come against the backdrop of ongoing scrutiny of the controversial National Cathedral project, on whose Board of Trustees he previously served as Secretary.
The National Cathedral project has been subjected to several investigations and audits, including inquiries by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), a Deloitte audit and a subsequent forensic audit commissioned under the current NDC administration.
The former National Cathedral Secretariat was dissolved by President John Dramani Mahama in May 2025, while legal steps were initiated to dissolve the Board of Trustees.
A Deloitte audit covering the Secretariat’s operations between 2021 and 2023 identified financial and procurement irregularities and raised concerns about the management of public funds.
The government subsequently directed the Auditor-General to commission a broader forensic audit, citing the limited scope of the Deloitte exercise.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, said in January 2026 that his office could not proceed with any prosecution relating to the National Cathedral until it received the forensic audit report.
Earlier, in December 2025, Dr Ayine said PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the firm engaged to conduct the forensic audit, had made significant progress and was nearing completion.
The National Cathedral has also acknowledged that the project has been the subject of multiple investigations, including those conducted by CHRAJ, the OSP, Deloitte, the National Investigations Bureau and PwC.
Earlier National Cathedral Controversy
Rev. Kusi Boateng became a central figure in the controversy surrounding the National Cathedral after North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa petitioned CHRAJ in 2023 over allegations including conflict of interest, multiple identities and financial impropriety.
CHRAJ subsequently cleared Rev. Kusi Boateng of the specific allegation that he possessed two passports under different names. The Commission found that he held a passport under the name Kwabena Adu Gyamfi but found no evidence that he had been issued a second passport under the name Kusi Boateng.
However, CHRAJ recommended further investigation and possible prosecution of members of the National Cathedral Board of Trustees over procurement-related issues concerning the award of a construction contract to Ribade Company.
The controversy also involved a GH¢2.6 million transaction involving JNS Talent Centre Limited.
CHRAJ found that the company had not provided services in exchange for the payment but concluded that the money represented reimbursement to Rev. Kusi Boateng for funds he had advanced to contractors when the National Cathedral Secretariat experienced financial difficulties.
The matter has continued to generate legal disputes.
In March 2026, the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal filed by Rev. Kusi Boateng against Mr Ablakwa, holding that the claims made by the MP were grounded in truth and public interest. The court also awarded GH¢40,000 in costs against Rev. Kusi Boateng.
Against this background, Rev. Kusi Boateng’s latest comments are likely to attract renewed attention, particularly as the government awaits the outcome of the broader forensic examination of the National Cathedral project.
