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An Accra Circuit Court has granted bail in the sum of GHc 5, 000.00 to one Ebenezer Boadi, a teacher who was said to have published false news with intent to cause fear and panic.

Ebenezer pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail with two sureties.
The Court then adjourned the case to December 14, 2017.

Earlier the Counsel for the accused person told the court that his client was not mentally composed and that there have been instances in his school where he has been sent home by the school’s authorities due to his condition.

The court then ordered the investigator in the case to send the accused person to either the Pantang Hospital or any government hospital for medical examination.

It added that a passport size photograph of the accused should also be taken.
Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Isaac Agbemehia told the court that the accused Ebenezer is a 30 year old teacher and resident in the Ashanti Region.

He said on September 24, at about 1600 hours the accused alleged a terrorist attack at the Accra Mall, on various social media platforms, adding that some shoppers have been taken hostage, and two people have been injured as a result of the attack.

He said these messages went viral on social media causing fear and panic among the public.
He said on the same day the Bureau of National Communication (BNC), a department under the National Security Council (NSC), was tasked to assist the police to ascertain the source of the alleged terrorist attack news.

The prosecution said a technical search conducted revealed that the source was a whatsapp group page called “Buy and Sell Anything and Travel Agent GH”.

Further investigation pointed to the accused person, as the organizer of that platform.
The Prosecution said the accused was contacted on phone and asked to report to the Regional BNI office in Kumasi, on October 5, but he failed to do so.

Mr Agbemehia told the court that on November 2, at about 1500 hours, Ebenezer was brought to the BNC where upon interrogation, he admitted the offence that he originated the said terrorist attack messages and its attached audio messages which went viral.