The Police has called on religious leaders to be mindful of their utterances termed as prophecies to avoid plunging the country into chaos.
It said such utterances have the potential of compromising the country’s peace and security.
The Police made the call in a statement issued after an attack on the Rev. Owusu Bempah’s Glorious Word and Power Ministries International church at Odorkor by some irate youth over Mr. Bempah’s death prophecies concerning key leaders of the country.
The statement signed by the Director General of Public Affairs of the Police, ASP David Eklu said religious leaders must be circumspect in their utterances in order not to breach public peace and cause fear and panic among the population.
The Police Administration has observed with concern a worrying trend of prophecies made by religious persons about the death of certain individuals which have the tendency of breaching public peace and causing fear and panic in the country. The Police Administration is, therefore, cautioning these persons who make such pronouncements to be mindful of the security implications of their utterances, the statement said.
The police also cautioned the media against allowing its medium to be used to publish such commentaries.
Also media reportage on such pronouncements and the interpretations put on the pronouncements in the media is also disturbing. As a result, the Police Administration is cautioning editors, media practitioners, discussants and owners of media establishments to be circumspect and exercise the necessary editorial responsibility to ensure that the media is not used as a tool for aiding breach of the peace and causing fear and panic.
Concerning the attack on Owusu Bempah’s church, the police said it has arrested one suspect and granted him bail.
The suspect, whose details have not been revealed is now to be reporting to the CID Headquarters which has officially taken over investigations into the case.
Some NDC members behind church attack
Meanwhile, Rev. Owusu Bempah is accusing some elements within the opposition National Democratic Congress [NDC] of being responsible for the attack on the Odorkor branch of his church.
He further alleged that some elements in the party brought in someone from Salaga in the Northern Region to lead the attack.
While accusing some pastors of also instigating the vandalism, he said the attack was targeted as his life and had nothing to do with his prophecy about the death of the National Chief Imam.
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By: Jonas Nyabor | citinewsroom.com | Ghana
