Artist manager on trial for threatening Ghanaian president

The incident occurred on Accra-based UTV’s entertainment magazine show United Showbiz on 9 January. During the live discussion, Hanson, an outspoken critic of Akufo-Addo’s administration, suggested that the president would not complete his second term should he fail to pay customers’ locked-up of an alleged Ponzi scheme by defunct gold dealership Menzgold.

“As for the Menzgold money, it will come. If not, Nana Addo will run, he will not finish his four years,” Hanson said. “I am telling you, he won’t finish his four years.” 

By the end of the programme, Hanson had retracted the statement, clarifying that it did not mean he was going to kill Akufo-Addo. Following the show, Hanson, who is the CEO of BullHaus Entertainment, which manages dancehall singer Shatta Wale, and a former head of A&R at Zylofon Music, was picked up by the National Intelligence Bureau and handed over to the police on 12 January for investigations.

Hanson’s arrest was confirmed to UTV’s sister station Okay FM by former Ghana Music Rights Organisation chairman Rex Omar. “According to sources, some boys from the Presidency went to arrest him and they have gone to dump him at BNI [Bureau of National Investigations – renamed in 2020 to the National Intelligence Bureau] whilst the BNI themselves don’t know why Bulldog is there, so that is the information we have now,” he said.

Earlier this year, when appearing in an Accra circuit court, Hanson was charged with “offensive conduct, conducive to breaches of the peace,” to which he pleaded not guilty. He was admitted to bail for the sum of GH¢70 000 ($12 000) with three sureties, two of whom must be public servants.

The Evelyn Asamoah-presided court has also ordered United Showbiz host Nana Ama Mcbrown to assist the court as a prosecution witness.

Meanwhile, the prosecution, led by Chief-Insp Simon Apiorsornu, has re-read the facts of the case after amending the charge sheet.The court has also admitted Hanson to his former bail. Additionally, Hanson has been served with disclosures and documents the prosecution intended to rely on, following a case management conference with the accused and the prosecution, and an agreement on the timelines on which the case will be conducted.