Renowned lawyer, Ace Ankomah, 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 prophecy, 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.
Speaking on JoyNews on Saturday, Mr Ankomah advised that prophets engage with state authorities, preferably the security services for the appropriate steps to be taken to safeguard citizens from any harm that may occur in the future.
“You may receive your prophecy, or word of wisdom but how you communicate it is what the state is saying be careful about. It is not the prophecy but its communication.
“If you have a prophecy that there is going to be an earthquake and half of Ghana is going to be affected, take your time. You have received it, nobody doubts it. How are you going to communicate it? Is it in your church on 31st night through microphone and loud speakers, or are you going to call the police and say, this is the revelation I have received? What will government do about it?
“So government can decide that let’s deal with the seismic experts, this is spiritual but it could occur. Do you see any seismic signs that this is going to happen? If that is going to happen, do we evacuate people? That won’t get you into trouble,” he told Samson Lardy Anyenini on Newsfile.
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According to the Criminal Code (amendment) Act, 2003 (Act 646) subsection 203: “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 misdemeanor.”
Per the law, such culprits are “liable on summary conviction to a fine of not more than three thousand penalty units or to a term of imprisonment of not more than five years or both.”
On the show, Mr Ankomah revealed that religious leaders prior to communicating or publishing their prophecies, should take reasonable measures to verify its accuracy.
This he said is because in court, prophets must prove their claims through material objects present to the senses.
“If it cannot be seen, heard, smelt, tasted or touched, it is not evidence unless it is opinion evidence. Death is not good news. If you do that, the law will ask how were you able to verify? With due respect, God revealed to me in a dream is not evidence in court,” he added.
His comments come to address a surge in death prophecies majorly concerning high-profile persons in the country.
This month, dancehall artiste Shatta Wale pulled a hoax shooting incident that left many worried about the state of his health.
Taking to social media, the singer born Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jnr revealed that the stunt was pulled because his life had been threatened by one Bishop Stephen Akwasi, who predicted that he would meet his untimely death on October 18, unless he meets a man of God to pray over the matter.
“This pastor said 18th October Shatta Wale will be shot, and you want to tell me you didn’t see from your cybercrime department, nor did you hear or come across anything like that online?” Shatta Wale quizzed the Ghana Police.
He added: “I won’t wait for Ghana Police to call my father and tell my father his son got shot this afternoon. I won’t wait for Ghana’s stupid media houses to spread news to my fans about me being shot because all we wish in this country is for dead people and funerals.”
Following this, Shatta Wale, two others who work with him and Bishop Stephen Akwasi were apprehended for causing fear and panic.
Currently, the “My level” hitmaker and the Bishop have been granted bail. The Shatta Movement President is expected to appear before an Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday, November 9.