It is becoming obvious that these reckless and mostly charlatanic prophets are in a most bizarre unbiblical and almost satanic competition. They prophesy tragedy, doom and seek publicity for it.
Their targets have been prominent and significant people who must have a reasonable measure of wealth. It is obvious that’s the surest way to get media attention for their declarations that one will suffer a stroke, go mad or get killed in a motor accident. It is shocking and criminal that they quickly jump from one equally reckless unprofessional radio station to the other making a boast in celebration of tragedies as they befall this class of popular citizens.
We know, as confirmed by our courts, courts don't deal with matters of spirituality. They simply do not have the capacity to investigate and confirm claims a person was killed by a witch or juju. The courts certainly will deal with the manifest outcomes of supernatural activities if how they are caused is physically traceable/can be linked to natural or legal persons. It's a difficult connection to make. But where a person claiming to possess such powers or abilities announces that another will be killed in an accident, and same happens, the connection should be capable of being made judicially. In fact, some are actually criminal threats of harm and death. To prove a crime, one must prove both mens rea (intention to commit it) and actus reus (the physical act of committing it). Guess what? Mere threats of harm or death “with intent to put that person in fear of harm [or] death” are punishable as crimes in Ghana by prison terms of up to three years and ten years respectively. See sections 74 and 75 of the Criminal Offences Act and 296 of the Criminal Procedure Act.
My focus here though isn't in criminal law but in a civil action in the law of tort where people are made to pay money in damages to those who suffer from their intentional and negligent acts. It may be a bit of stretch, but we can take inspiration from certain English precedents to innovate and adopt what suits our peculiar circumstances. In Wilkinson v Downton (as affirmed by the Court of Appeal in Janvier v Sweeney), Downton told Wilkinson that her husband was lying in a pub with broken legs. This was true. But Mrs. Wilkinson got a nervous shock and fell ill for weeks. The court held that Downton had “willfully done an act calculated to cause harm to the claimant – that is infringe her legal right to personal safety, and in fact thereby caused physical harm to her.” In lateng v Cooper and in Collins v Wilcock, intentionally causing another person reasonably to apprehend the application of immediate unlawful force to his/her person is all that makes the case of the tort of assault for the claimant. Observe that it is not fear, but apprehension of physical harm that is required and it doesn’t matter that the claimant or victim is a courageous person. It is critical to note that where the injury suffered is not physical but psychiatric, the damages (monetary compensation) for the negligent psychiatric injury is recoverable only exceptionally as affirmed by way of policy by the Court of Appeal in White v Chief of Constable of South Yorkshire Police.
Citizens should be ready to sue and I believe, in the absence of parliamentary intervention, our judges will not require a new head of tort to hold these prophets and co liable in damages for their reckless acts. It is fair that if someone suffers such trauma for their public declarations of impending accidents and deaths, they must be made to pay.
Ebony Reigns, apparently lost some business by declining to travel to one place or the other on account of these pronouncements. It's obvious she was held in the prison of fear and traumatized by these doom declarations. Shatta Wale is presently issuing counter threats and seeking prayers over similar declarations he will die in some accident or commit suicide. In the same way that the English precedent recognizes secondary victims (McLoughlin v O’Brian and Alcok v Chief of Constable of South Yorkshire Police), relations of such persons who witness such doom declarations on television or hear them indirectly and suffer the shock as a result should equally be able to sue for damages.
It is nauseating that some of these so-called prophets actually show up after a tragedy to make boast of having foretold same. This must engage Parliament and must not continue to go unpunished. Carelessly passing on wrong or even correct information or engaging in pure 419 under the cloak of religion cannot by any stretch constitute freedom of religion as guaranteed by the 1992 Constitution.
I was in Scripture Union and this certainly is not the kind of Christianity taught by Apostle Jude Hama, Prof. Kwesi Andam, Prof. Sam Afrane, Brother Kwame Adu or known teachers of acts of the Holy Spirit like Eastwood Anaba. Jesus never taught this!
February 17, 2018
Source: Samson Lardy ANYENINI/Ghana
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small school man go e want overstand everything in the realms. eiiiii Lawyer. abeg why make them no sue the ministry of roads and highways instead. talk is sometimes cheap.
my name is Anjali ahuja. I am waiting very eagerly to make your evening colorful Housewife escort
Name one ministry in Ghana that is so successful. Name one ministry in Ghana that brings in more revenue than expenditure. Name one minister in Ghana that has proposed and implemented any policy that has a positive impact on the population. Name one ministry in Ghana that has the youth and youth unemployment at heart. Can this country claim to be serious at all. Take the ministry of roads and highways for example, what is their modus operandi when it comes to building quality dual carriage ways on Ghana's roads to mitigate accidents? How credible are the road design and networks? How many drivers are literate enough to be given drivers license only to kill on the roads through reckless driving and overspeeding. The problems are just too many to stomach.
"...Let the wheat and weed grow together,lest you cut some of the wheat in an attempt to cut out the weed. Upon maturity,we will first cut the weed and bind them;they will be thrown into the unquenchable lake of fire. Afterwards,we will harvest the wheat and store them in barns..". These happenings prove God is God and is true to His Word. He foretold all these before many of us were conceived. To seek to eliminate these "weeds" will be to negate the Word of God which itself was also a prophecy."....in the last days there will be false prophets who will lead many astray...even the elect..." Having said that the fact that "false prophets" exists suggests "true prophets" exists. Just like the weed growing along with the wheat. So it is for us to discern who is for from and of God.And how do we do that? Through the the same Word:..." by their fruits you shall know them ".
If they are charlatans as you claim why bother what prohecies they give. If it be of God you can not stop it. Even Jusus was called false prophet.
Kojo it is very worrying for an ***barred word*** man to rule over you as president and you can't do anything about it. Where are your beautiful ones and your handsome ones? I am sure you are handsome enough to be a president if that is what it takes. You will be in hell for the next 8 years or more. ***barred word*** ***barred word*** !!!!!!!!!!
Please don't bring Jesus into your none.sense games. Jesus never asked anybody to act foo.lis.hly
IF YOU ELECT AN URGLY MAN AS YOUR PRESIDENT THAT WHAT YOU WILL HEAR ALLWAYS
What the pastors are doing are bible prophecies. They have to come in. That day Armageddon there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The bible says the moon will turn into blood etc. Learn the bible do what God says and be free.
As if you didn’t hear how Okyeame Kwame was chastised by some Ghanaians for threatening to sue any prophet who prophesies his death. It will take the lawmakers and the law enforcement agencies themselves to put a stop to this “***barred word***.“ Any attempt by any concerned Ghanaian to help savage the situation has in one way or the other been tagged as a,”A Wage of War Against the Word of God.” “How Long Shall All Our People be Threatened n ‘Killed’ while We stand aside and Look?” God bless you for your sacrifice Samson