Court remands man over viral threats against churches

Accra, April 10, – The Accra Circuit Court One has remanded a 22-year-old man into custody for allegedly issuing threats to attack churches in Ghana through a viral video circulated on social media.

The accused, Evans Puplampu, pleaded not guilty to a charge of threat of harm and is expected to reappear on April 23, 2026, for a Case Management Conference.

Presenting the facts, Police Inspector Frank Morgan Dorvi said the complainant is the Police Intelligence Directorate, while the accused is a car washer residing at Community 22.

The prosecution said intelligence officers intercepted a video on April 5, 2026, in which an unidentified individual, with his face covered, issued threats targeting churches in the country, causing fear and panic among the public.

The video, according to the prosecution, was captioned: “We are starting from Ghana Churches with Bandit.”

Further investigations led to the arrest of the accused at Ashaiman Jericho on April 7, following sustained surveillance operations.

Inspector Dorvi told the court that the accused had earlier made another social media post suggesting a possible attack on the University of Ghana.

In his cautioned statement, Puplampu admitted to the offence, the prosecution said.

Defence counsel, however, prayed the court to grant bail, arguing that the accused had not caused any physical harm.

The prosecution opposed the application, maintaining that the threats had created fear and psychological distress, and that investigations were ongoing to determine whether other persons were involved.

It further argued that granting bail could interfere with investigations and compromise public safety.

The presiding judge, Madam Emanuella Sarah Asmah, ruled that it was premature to grant bail despite the offence being bailable, and ordered that the accused be remanded into lawful custody.

The court also directed the prosecution to file and serve all witness statements and disclosures at least two clear days before the next hearing date.

GHBUSS

April 10, 2026