A Ghanaian court has handed a one-year prison sentence to TikToker Camilla Alhassan after she pleaded guilty to circulating false claims that President John Mahama sacrificed 32 cows in a ritual to secure victory in the 2024 presidential election, according to a BBC report on Friday.
The 43-year-old was found guilty of offensive conduct and publishing false news over several TikTok videos shared last month and earlier this month.
In the videos, Alhassan alleged, without providing any evidence, that the president performed the ritual to influence the outcome of the election.
She also claimed that the government’s distribution of sanitary pads to flood victims was an attempt to conceal the alleged ritual.
Despite her appeal for a more lenient punishment, the court ruled that a custodial sentence was appropriate, saying it was necessary to deter the increasing spread of misinformation on social media.
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BBC reports that prosecutors told the court that Alhassan, who has more than 70,000 TikTok followers, made false and defamatory allegations against the president through videos that gained widespread attention online.
The conviction has renewed public discussion in Ghana over how to address the growing problem of misinformation while safeguarding freedom of expression.
It is the latest in a series of cases involving social media personalities in the country. In September last year, TikToker David Kwodwo Prah Afful, widely known as Kwame Nkrumah II, was sentenced to seven months in prison after being convicted of issuing death threats against Mahama and members of parliament in a viral video.
The Mahama administration has consistently warned against the dangers of spreading false information online.
Last year, the president said authorities would track down and prosecute individuals responsible for spreading falsehoods, hate speech and messages capable of causing fear and panic.
The government is also weighing legislation designed to curb misinformation while maintaining constitutional guarantees for freedom of expression.