Court fines pastor for noise nuisance

The Accra Metropolitan Sanitation Court on Thursday fined Pastor Kwame Mensah of the God is Alive Evangelical Ministry of La GH¢540 for causing noise nuisance.

In default he will go to prison for eight months.

The court, presided over by Ms Janet Anima Marfo also ordered the pastor to relocate his church by March 8, this year.

He was also ordered that his church activities should not disturb the neighbourhood while preparing to relocate.

Prosecuting, Ms Linda Kumbonu of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) Public Health Department, told the court that following persistent complaints from the neighbours living around the area on December 22, the AMA Public Health Taskforce visited the church premises to ascertain the complaint while church activities was going on at about 2000 hours.

The Taskforce measured the noise level and found that it was as high as 71 decibels far above the allowed level of 48 decibels in residential areas during the night.

Ms Kumbonu said the Taskforce demanded the building permit which the pastor could not produce.

She said the activities of the accused had been a serious concern in the community since the noise level could cause heart diseases and stress among other diseases.

Source: GNA