Oliver Barker-Vormawor has clarified what constitutes a prosecutable threat against the President, following a viral TikTok video that has sparked public outrage.
“When someone says they wish it was the President who died in that plane crash, as distasteful and foolish as it is, that’s not a crime in our laws. The person has not threatened to kill the President,” Barker-Vormawor explained.
He added, “But if the person says, ‘I will kill the President and behead the First Lady,’ and their intention is to make the President and his wife fear for their life, that’s a crime for which they can be prosecuted. Shalom.”
His comment comes after the Ghana Police Service launched an investigation into the viral video in which an individual is heard issuing threats against President John Dramani Mahama and the Vice President Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang.
In a statement, the Police confirmed that the comments in the video are being treated as threats to the lives of the country’s highest officeholders.
So far, two individuals—Prince Ofori and Yayra Abiwu—have been arrested and are assisting with the ongoing investigation. Authorities are also working to identify and apprehend others connected to the recording and distribution of the video.
