Shatta Wale faces five-year jail term, says lawyer

Maurice Ampaw, the private legal practitioner, has said the celebrated dancehall musician, Charles Nii Armah Mensah, better known on stage as Shatta Wale, is likely to serve a five-year jail term or pay a fine “for his alleged involvement in the creation and circulation of information intended to cause fear and panic.”

The artiste was reported to have sustained injuries and was receiving treatment at an unknown hospital after allegedly being shot by unknown gunmen at East Legon in Accra on Monday (18 October).

However, the police arrested him after he turned himself in and two others, Kojo Owusu Koranteng, also known as Nana Dope, and Eric Venator, alias Gangee, for the same offense.

Speaking with Asaase Showbiz’s Efua Korea, Ampaw said the musician’s action is an offense.

“If Shatta Wale’s issue is a hoax, then it’s likely he will face the music. The thing is if you are charged for creating false news, you are likely to go to prison for not more than five years or a fine of GHC 36,000 or both,” he said.

Ampaw also said even though he condemns the act by the ‘Bulletproof’ hitmaker, he believes Shatta Wale pulled the stunt out of fear after receiving prophecies from a preacher that he will be gunned down on 18 October.

“The thing is, he has thrown out a very interesting defense that these statements were made because he feared for his life. He has been threatened by a prophecy and that day, his fear is that the prophecy is likely to come to pass so he has to create that false impression so that the media can report to expose the prophet,” Ampaw stated.

Meanwhile, the founder of the New Life Kingdom Chapel, Bishop Stephen Kwesi Appiah, popularly known as “Jesus Ahuofe” who was arrested in connection with the prophecy is also behind bars.

He has been charged with causing fear and panic.

Andrew Sepah

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