The Ghana Police Service (GPS) has announced the arrest of Charles Nii Armah Mensah, popularly known as Shatta Wale, and two others for staging an alleged gunshot attack on Monday, October 18, 2021.
The two others arrested in addition to the award-winning dancehall artiste include, one Kojo Owusu Koranteng, also known as Nana Dope, and Eric Venator, alias Gangee.
The arrest of the alleged suspects is in response to an alleged circulation of false claims on the alleged gunshot attack on Shatta Wale.
According to the Ghana Police Service, its preliminary investigations have revealed that the widely reported gunshot attack on Shatta Wale on Monday was nothing but a hoax.
In a statement on the Facebook page of the Ghana Police Service, it stressed that no one will be spared if found culpable of any criminality.
The statement from the Police read in parts: “No one will be spared if Police investigations point to their possible criminal culpability in this matter. We want to caution any individual or group to desist from making false claims and engaging in acts, capable of disturbing the peace of the country because the law will come after you”.
Shatta Wale, prior to his arrest in a lengthy Facebook post, apologized to his fans and people who had been affected by the prank. According to him, he took the phones of some team members and made the fake post.
He also made reference to the prophecy that was made by a preacher recently that he would be shot dead on October 18, 2021. According to Shatta Wale, he was surprised that the security services could not give him protection after that prophecy, hence his decision to stage the fake attack.
His move however has seen widespread condemnation from the public, with many calling for the artiste to be punished.
Pastor arrested
The Pastor whose prophecy Shatta Wale cited as the reason for his latest fiasco has also been arrested by men believed to be officers of the Ghana Police Service.
The founder and leader of New Life Kingdom Chapel International, Stephen Akwasi, is reported to have been arrested at the premises of Accra FM while preparing for an interview on the station’s mid-morning show. According to some sources, he has been charged with causing fear and panic.
Popularly known as Jesus ‘Ahuofe’, the preacher was seen in a viral video explaining circumstances under which the ‘Dancehall King’, Shatta Wale would be shot.
While speaking on the radio show on September 28, 2021, the preacher compared the pending catastrophe to that of South African legend Lucky Dube, who was shot on October 18, 2007.
The arrest of the pastor comes after Shatta Wale then called out Ghana Police Service who he described as “lackadaisical” in not acting on the life-threatening prophecy. Shatta Wale vowed to stay in the shadows until justice, he believes, is served.
Some few hours after Shatta Wale’s post, three men, clad in plainclothes escorted Jesus Ahuofe off the Accra FM building for questioning, according to sources.