TikToker Camilla Alhassan has been sentenced to one year in prison by the Accra Circuit Court after admitting to publishing false claims about President John Dramani Mahama.
The court handed down the custodial sentence on Thursday, July 16, after Alhassan pleaded guilty to charges relating to offensive conduct and the publication of false news.
The case stemmed from videos she shared on social media in which she alleged, without providing any evidence, that President Mahama buried 32 cows as part of rituals to secure victory in the 2024 general election. The videos circulated widely online before attracting the attention of law enforcement authorities.
Speaking after the ruling, counsel for the convict, Kwadwo Gyamfi Bonsu, explained that the court struck out a separate charge of electronic abuse, ruling that it lacked the jurisdiction to determine that particular offence.
He said the conviction was instead based on the charge of offensive conduct, for which the court imposed a one-year custodial sentence.
According to the defence lawyer, an appeal was made for a more lenient sentence. However, the court indicated that the increasing spread of false and offensive publications, particularly on social media, warranted a punishment that would serve as a deterrent to others.
Camilla Alhassan was arrested and prosecuted by the Ghana Police Service following investigations into the viral videos.
Prior to sentencing, the court had also directed that she undergo a pregnancy test during an earlier hearing before proceeding with the case.
Alhassan’s conviction brings to a close a case that drew widespread public attention after the videos circulated across social media, with the court emphasizing the need to deter the growing spread of false and offensive online publications.
