The Circuit Court 1 at Adentan in the Greater Accra Region has ordered pastor William Gyimah to open his defence in a case in which he is accused of publishing false news about an alleged plot to kill the Vice-President, Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
In a ruling delivered on 22 October 2026, Her Honour Angela Attachie dismissed a submission of no case to answer filed by his lawyers, holding that the prosecution had established a prima facie case.
The accused faces charges of false communication under section 76 of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775), and publication of false news with intent to cause fear and alarm under section 208 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
The prosecution's case arises from a video circulated on social media, including TikTok, in April 2026, in which the accused, a pastor living in Kasoa, allegedly claimed to have received a revelation about a plot within the Vice-President's close circle to kill her.
The prosecution told the court the statements were capable of causing public fear and panic. The court applied section 173(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1960 (Act 30), which requires a judge to decide at the close of the prosecution's case whether the accused must answer the charges.
The ruling is not a finding of guilt. The accused is presumed innocent and the case remains before the court.