Court restrains church form conducting noisy services

Accra, March 8, GNA - The La Magistrate Court has restrained the Power Miracle Chapel International, a charismatic church, from conducting noisy church services.

The church has also been asked not to use powerful musical instruments during day and church services, but can only clap. "We must worship God in decent manner," the judge Mrs Florence Oto, said.

She asked the church to conduct its services during the day time but not at night, adding; "it should be done without any musical instrument".

The church was again ordered to write officially to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to obtain a permit to hold church activities in the residential area and assess the level of noise making to determine whether it could still operate within the residential area or relocate.

The Pastor in-charge of the church, Prophet Stephen Mensah and members pleaded not guilty and were fined 10 penalty unit, that is 1.2 million cedis, or in default six months' imprisonment.

Prophet Mensah and the congregation were charged with making excessive noise with the aid of powerful musical gadgets on the church premises at South Labadi Estates, thus causing noise nuisance. The facts of the case as presented by the Prosecutor, Mr Peaceton Martey Commodore, an Environmental Heath Officer, said the church located within a quiet residential area at South Labadi Estates was conducting its services without an environmental permit from EPA to operate in such an area.

He said the main activities of the church are characterized by catching of witches, clapping, shouting and hooting at the devil, singing and dancing with the aid of powerful musical gadgets. The prosecutor said on February, 27 this year, following persistent complaints by residents in the area, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) Noise Abatement Task Force inspected the premises of the church between 2000 and 2100 hours and found Pastor Mensah and his congregation making excessive noise to the annoyance of the residents. Mr Commodore said from a distance source of 20 metres, the noise level was measured at 97.2 decibels instead of 48 decibels meant for the area.