Ghana’s laws empower authorities to act against false prophecies – Legal Practitioner
The Chairman of the Global Apostolic Conference & College Apostles who is also a private legal practitioner, Dr Z.O.Hunter has said the laws of Ghana empower authorities including the Police to act against false prophecies.
The Police gave a caution to men of God against the publication of doom prophecies that cause fear and panic ahead of the 31st night occasion last year.
Some pastors had expressed concerns about the caution that was given by the Police.
For instance, the founder and leader of Glorious Word Power Ministry International, Prophet Isaac Owusu Bempah appealed to the Inspector General of Police, COP Dr George Akuffo Dampare to invite men of God who believe in prophecies to give him what he calls satisfactory briefing on prophetic ministry.
Mr Owusu Bempah believed that the IGP issued the order against the publication of the death prophecies following briefing he received from Pastors who did not believe in prophetic ministry.
“We want to caution that under Ghanaian law, it is a crime for a person to publish or reproduce a statement, rumour or report which is likely to cause fear and alarm to the public or to disturb the public peace, where that person has no evidence to prove that the statement, rumour or report is true,” the police warned in a statement issued on Monday, December 27 2021.
“It is also a crime for a person, by means of electronic communications service, to knowingly send a communication that is false or misleading and likely to prejudice the efficiency of life saving service or to endanger the safety of any person,” the statement signed by Superintendent Alexander Obeng, the Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, added.
“A person found guilty under these laws could be liable to a term of imprisonment of up to five years.”
Commenting on this at a press conference, Dr. Z.O. Hunter Hunter who gave a list of past prophecies by some pastors said “Ladies and gentlemen, with all due respect these few prophets aforementioned and others unknown by the general public have also made false publications on the various media platforms and within their church premises to their church member which has urge certain people to take the law into their hands to cause havoc to other based on the trust by these prophets.
The Criminal Offences Act 1960, (ACT 29) SECTION 208 says that; (1) A person who publishes or reproduces a statement, rumour or report which is likely to cause fear and alarm to the public or to disturb the public peace knowing or having reason to
believe that the statement, rumour or report is false commits a misdemeanour.
“(2) It is not a defence to a charge under subsection (1) that the person charged did not know or did not have reason to believe that the statement, rumour or report was false, unless it is proved that, prior to the publication, that person took reasonable measures to verify the accuracy of the statement, rumour or report.
“From the above act it gives clear power to the authorities who are in charge of ensuring law and order to take clear actions against falsehood of these prophecies which undermines people’s right, freedom and cause defamation on their reputation.
“Permit me to quote an interview section held by lawyer says religious leaders who are engaged in the prophetic business must be wary of how they communicate prophecies that are likely to cause fear and panic to the public. He stated that although there is no provision of the law that bans prophesy, engineers of prophecies that spell doom would be made to face the law should they fail to use the appropriate channels to communicate their revelation.”
Source: 3News
