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A Ghanaian court has sentenced TikToker Camilla Alhassan to one year in prison after she pleaded guilty to publishing false claims that President John Mahama sacrificed 32 cows in a ritual to secure victory in the 2024 presidential election.
The Accra Circuit Court on Thursday convicted Alhassan of offensive conduct and publishing false news over a series of videos posted on TikTok last month and earlier this month.
In the videos, she falsely claimed that Mahama performed the ritual to help him win the election and alleged that the government’s distribution of sanitary pads to flood victims was intended to conceal the supposed act.
After the verdict, Kwadwo Gyamfi Bonsu, counsel to the TikToker, said the court struck out the charge of electronic abuse over lack of jurisdiction. Bonsu explained that the court held that it did not have the legal authority to determine that particular charge.
The counsel said a plea was made for the court to hand down a lenient sentence; however, the court rejected her request, ruling that a custodial term was necessary to deter the spread of misinformation on social media.
The TikToker was arrested by the Ghana Police Service after her videos with defamatory comments went viral on social media. The conviction has reignited debate in Ghana over how to combat misinformation while safeguarding freedom of expression.
It is the latest case involving a social media influencer in the country. In September last year, TikToker David Kwodwo Prah Afful, popularly known as Kwame Nkrumah II, was sentenced to seven months in prison after being convicted of making death threats against Mahama and members of parliament in a viral video.
The Mahama administration has repeatedly warned against the spread of false information online. Last year, the president said authorities would identify and prosecute individuals responsible for spreading falsehoods, hate speech and content capable of inciting fear or panic.
The government is also considering legislation aimed at tackling misinformation while preserving constitutional protections for freedom of expression.
