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🇰🇷 South Korea /Elections & Politics

Ghanaian TikToker jailed for false claims about president

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Outcome reported
  • A Ghanaian court has sentenced TikToker Camilla Alhassan to one year in prison for publishing false claims about President John Mahama.
  • Alhassan alleged the president sacrificed 32 cows for election victory and that sanitary pad distribution was a cover-up.
  • The conviction highlights Ghana's struggle to balance tackling misinformation with protecting freedom of expression.

A Ghanaian court has sentenced TikToker Camilla Alhassan to one year in prison after she admitted to spreading false claims about President John Mahama. The 43-year-old was convicted of offensive conduct and publishing false news for a series of TikTok videos posted last month and earlier this month.

a prison term was necessary to discourage the growing spread of misinformation on social media.

— Court rulingExplaining the rationale for sentencing Alhassan.

In her videos, Alhassan alleged, without providing evidence, that President Mahama sacrificed 32 cows in a ritual to ensure his victory in the country's 2024 presidential election. She further claimed that the government's distribution of sanitary pads to flood victims was an attempt to conceal this alleged ritual. The court rejected her plea for a lighter sentence, deeming a prison term necessary to deter the increasing spread of misinformation on social media.

Prosecutors informed the court that Alhassan, who has over 70,000 TikTok followers, made false and defamatory allegations against the president through widely shared videos. Her conviction has intensified the debate in Ghana regarding the challenges of combating misinformation while safeguarding freedom of expression. This case is the latest involving a social media influencer in the West African nation.

Alhassan, who has more than 70,000 followers on TikTok, made false and defamatory allegations against the president through videos that were widely shared online.

— ProsecutorsDescribing the impact and reach of Alhassan's posts.

Last September, another TikToker, David Kwodwo Prah Afful, known as Kwame Nkrumah II, received a seven-month jail sentence for making death threats against Mahama and members of parliament in a viral video. The Mahama administration has consistently warned against the proliferation of false information online, with the president vowing to track down and prosecute those responsible for spreading falsehoods, hate speech, and messages that could incite fear and panic. The government is also exploring potential legislation to address misinformation while upholding constitutional protections for free speech.

The Mahama administration has repeatedly warned against the spread of false information online.

— BBC reportContextualizing the government's stance on misinformation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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