Former President JJ Rawlings has warned media outlets and faceless persons on social media to desist from spreading rumours that he is dead.

The Office of the former military ruler and the first president of the Fourth Republic has served notice it will start suing people over such “distasteful publications”.

“The office strongly cautions persons who have made it their preoccupation to publish such falsehood to desist from such reckless and insensitive actions as they have the potential of causing harm to family, friends and sympathizers of the former President,” Rawlings’ office said in a statement Monday, May 15, 2017.

According to the statement, any “persons responsible for such distasteful publications…if they are flushed out” will be prosecuted.

Rawlings ruled Ghana for about two decades and handed over power to John Agyekum Kufuor in 2001 after an election.