Opinions of Thursday, 3 January 2019

Columnist: Charles Addai

Mahama must stand up to Owusu Bempah

John Mahama John Mahama

Numerous allegations and threats that pastor Owusu Bempah has spewed against ex-President Mahama leave many people to think about his perpetual hatred of the ex-President, if not a political mind play. The most recent of his hatred predictions against the ex-President was his 31st December 2018 claim that Mr. Mahama is going to die in 2019. He alleged that some members of the NDC party will kill the former president.

Mr. Mahama's silence could mean that Rev. Owusu Bempah's allegations and death threats are just nonsense. It would be good to emphasise the seriousness of the death threat. That is a legal matter. I decline to call it a death prophesy.

Alleging that some members of the NDC have conspired to kill the former president in 2019 means that he (Mr. Owusu Bempah) knows the perpetrators if he is not one of them and it is time to take legal action against the so-called man of God. If you leave this matter for the public to hail insults at the so-called man of God, it leaves so many questions to be asked in the Ghanaian judicial systems. So many questions will be asked from our law enforcement agencies.

The NDC is about to elect its flag bearer in 2019 for the presidential elections in the year 2020. At this point, there is so much at stake. It is pretty much obvious that Mr. Mahama is going to enjoy a fair share of the electorate as the NDC prepares to elect a presidential candidate for the upcoming elections in 2020. Though, he has to contest with other candidates such as the noble Dr. Spio Garbrah and Mr. Joshua Alabi.

It is not expected of the so-called man of God to incite a political crime at this point. Predicting deaths of Dr. Bawumia and the National Chief Imam are also examples of the societal nuisances that I have constantly written about. No one is above the laws in Ghana. Death predictions by the so-called men of God should be criminalised.

If Mr. A threatens Mr. B with death saying for example, "We will see, tomorrow, people will find you dead." The police could arrest Mr. A for questioning to prevent the eventual crime. Aren't the threats against the ex-president and Dr. Bawumia more serious than the given example? It is about time for the two major political parties in the country to ensure that death threats (prophesies) are outlawed in our country.

References:

Rev. Owusu Bempah (01 Jan. 2019), Ghanaweb, Mahama will be killed by NDC members in 2019 [Online] Retrieved from https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/television/videos.php?ID=57507 [Accessed 03.01.2019].

Rev. Owusu Bempah (01 Jan. 2019), Prime News Ghana, Mahama, Bawumia will die this year. Picture [Online] Retrieved from

https://www.primenewsghana.com/general-news/hot-video-john-mahama-bawumia-will-die-this-year-rev-owusu-bempah.html [Accessed 03.01.2019].