Ibrahim Mohammed, the man who allegedly threatened to shoot and injure some public officials in a viral video, has been remanded by the Accra Circuit Court.
Mohammed, charged with threat of harm, offensive conduct to breach of peace, and publication of false news, pleaded not guilty.
He allegedly in the video mentioned the Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, and the Minister for the Interior, Mr Henry Quartey, whom he claimed played roles in a police recruitment exercise in the Ashanti Region.
The court presided over by Mrs Evelyn Asamoah, ruled that, “considering the account of issuing threat to harm officials, the accused is remanded.”
The court ordered the prosecution to file disclosures and witness statements by September 24, 2024, and adjourned the case to September 26, 2024.
Mr Francis Xavier Sosu, lawyer for Mohammed, pleaded for bail, saying charges preferred against the accused were misdemeanor.
The lawyer said Mohammed had independent sureties who would guarantee his day-to-day attendance to court and would be available to go through full trial.
Mr Sosu said that Mohammed was not a flight risk because, he walked by himself in the company of his lawyer to the police. The accused was never arrested.”
The lawyer noted Mohammed had admitted that, “some of the words used were irresponsible and he knelt down and apologised.”
The prosecution, led by Derrick Ackah, an Assistant State Attorney, opposed the bail application, arguing that though all persons had rights under the 1992 Constitution, each one’s right was subject to the rights of others, as well as the safety of the public.
Mr Ackah said that by the standards of Section 96 of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, “we think the accused would not avail himself to stand trial should he be granted bail.”
According to the Assistant State Attorney, although the accused had shown remorse, “there are still serious matters that must be dealt with. The beret he wore was retrieved from his home. It is also not entirely the case that the accused out of his own volition or free will walked to the police to assist in investigations.”
Mr Ackah stated that immediately the accused got wind of the fact that the police were after him, he fled to Kumasi, and it was after a bounty was placed on him and declared wanted that he surrendered himself to the police.
The prosecution prayed the court to look at the nature of the offences and accusation together with public interest in determining bail for Mohammed.
“The accused’s comments were made over two months before the general election. Being in an election period, we love the peace the country is enjoying. The accused cannot put the country’s peace in jeopardy through his comments,” Mr Ackah told the court.
The police on September 11, 2024, arrested Mohammed for threatening to shoot and injure some public officials. The police had declared him wanted on September 9, 2024, after the video in which he was seen issuing threats on public officials went viral.
—GNA