Man fined GH₵18,000 for impersonating military officer on TikTok, possessing uniforms

A 20-year-old washing bay attendant, Alex Cobbina, popularly known as Mobitel, has been fined GH₵12,000 by an Accra Circuit Court for impersonating a military officer.

Cobbina, who posted a TikTok video dressed in military camouflage trousers and a naval vest, will serve a three-year prison term if he fails to pay the fine.

Cobbina faced charges of falsely pretending to be a public officer and unlawfully possessing military uniforms. Presiding Judge Mr. Bright Samuel Acquah also fined him an additional GH₵6,000 or two years of hard labor for possessing military gear, with both sentences to run concurrently.

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Abel Amanie, revealed that Cobbina was arrested following a social media surveillance operation after the Chief of Naval Staff spotted the video. In the footage, Cobbina discussed President Mahama’s statement about dismissing military recruits admitted through protocol means, posing as a military officer.

Upon investigation, military-related items, including camouflage trousers, a naval inner vest, a camouflage nose mask, and boots, were recovered from Cobbina’s residence in Apam. Cobbina claimed that a soldier client had left the items in his car after a car wash, which he later used for the video.

In his caution statement, Cobbina admitted to posting the video but denied being a military officer. He explained that his intent was to express concern over the potential impact of the President’s statement on his senior schoolmates.

Judge Bright Samuel Acquah emphasized the need to deter such impersonation acts, imposing the fines and penalties to underscore the seriousness of the offense.