By Joyce Danso
Accra, Dec. 19, GNA – Larry Odonkor, a former pastor of Lighthouse Chapel International, has lost two appeals in a car theft case in Antananarivo, Madagascar.
The Court of Appeal of the Antananarivo Correctional Chamber dismissed his latest appeal, ruling it was without merit.
The three-member panel upheld the lower court’s judgement in its entirety and ordered him to pay costs.
On April 18, 2023, the Criminal Tribunal in Madagascar convicted Odonkor of fraudulent breach of trust, dissipation and embezzlement of funds.
He was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and directed to pay 75 million Ariary in damages.
Odonkor, through his lawyer, appealed against the tribunal’s decision.
He stated on his Facebook page that the judgement had been obtained “through the back door” and expressed hope of being vindicated.
His lawyer, Stephen Rasendrarivo, represented him in the first two hearings but failed to appear at subsequent hearings despite being notified through DHL Mail, according to court records.
On May 7, 2024, Odonkor lost his first appeal.
The second appeal suffered several adjournments at the instance of Odonkor and his lawyer.
During proceedings, his counsel submitted documents including WhatsApp chats between Odonkor and an officer of LCI Madagascar, in which Odonkor denied selling the car.
After hearing the matter, the Court of Appeal on November 28, 2025, dismissed the appeal as lacking merit.
Odonkor served as head pastor of LCI Madagascar until December 2019, when he relocated to Accra.
During his transition, the church’s official vehicle assigned to him went missing. Investigations revealed he had instructed three individuals to sell the car before leaving Madagascar.
One of the individuals, his assistant pastor, unaware the car did not belong to Odonkor, sold it and handed over the proceeds to him.
The prosecution presented WhatsApp screenshots between Odonkor and his assistant, showing he had directed the sale and requested the proceeds.
Additional WhatsApp conversations between Odonkor and an administrator of LCI Ghana were also submitted in evidence.
A warrant has been issued for Odonkor’s arrest, addressed to two national security agencies. He is to be detained and jailed upon entering Madagascar by air or land.
In a separate case in Ghana, the Attorney General is challenging a Circuit Court ruling which cleared Odonkor of charges of stealing monies entrusted to him for SSNIT contributions and Ghana Revenue Authority taxes.
The Attorney General contends the trial judge erred in holding that although Odonkor took the monies, his squandering of them was not dishonest.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey