A former pastor of Lighthouse Chapel International (LCI), Pastor Edward Laryea, has told an Accra High Court that the construction of the church’s Kade branch was not financed by him alone but through contributions from several sources.
Giving evidence in an ongoing defamation case involving LCI and investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni and three others, Pastor Laryea said the project received financial support from the church’s headquarters, members of the Kade congregation, his family and friends at various stages.
He rejected suggestions that he personally built the church using only his own resources, insisting that the development was a collective effort.
“No one man built the church with his money,” he told the court.
According to him, while he contributed to the project, the support provided by the mother church and other individuals formed a significant part of the construction process.
“The mother church helped to send on missions as a missionary, which is all part of the cost of building the church. The membership in Kade also helped to build at different times, and my family and friends also helped to build at different stages,” he said.
When asked whether he personally funded the construction of the physical structure, Pastor Laryea said his contribution could not be quantified.
“My personal contribution to the physical building cannot be quantified,” he stated.
The testimony formed part of his defence in the suit filed by LCI against Mr Manasseh Azure, Mr Edwin Appiah, Mr Sulemana Braimah and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) over publications titled “Darkness in a Lighthouse.”
During cross-examination, counsel for LCI, Mr Kweku Paintsil, pressed the witness to give a direct answer on whether he built the church with his own funds. However, counsel for the defendants, Mr Sampson Lardey Ayenini, argued that the witness should be allowed to provide context.
Justice Comfort Kwasiwor Tasiame, who is presiding over the case, directed the witness to respond with a “yes” or “no” where necessary, while allowing explanations where required.
Pastor Laryea further explained that LCI headquarters initially provided funding for the Kade building project before a policy change required local branches to take greater responsibility for completing projects.
He also confirmed that the church provided him with a vehicle while he served as a missionary in Kade.
The former pastor admitted that under the new arrangement, local branches were responsible for managing their finances, including paying salaries, rent and other operational expenses.
The lawsuit stems from publications which alleged that some former LCI pastors were encouraged under a policy known as “Become Who You Can Become” to use personal resources to finance church projects, with assurances that they would retain ownership of the facilities.
The publications further alleged that some pastors were later transferred after investing in such projects, leaving the church with control over the properties.
In relation to Pastor Laryea, the publications featured an image of the Kade Lighthouse Church building with a caption suggesting that he built the facility “from ground zero by the grace of God.”
LCI has denied the allegations and sued the defendants for defamation.
The court has adjourned the case to July 28, 2026, for the continuation of Pastor Laryea’s cross-examination. Another former LCI pastor, Pastor Larry Odonkor, is expected to testify after him.
