TikToker jailed one year over false claims about Mahama

TikToker Camilla Alhassan has been sentenced to one year in prison after admitting that she published false claims about President John Dramani Mahama.

The Accra Circuit Court handed down the sentence on Thursday, July 16, after she pleaded guilty to offensive conduct and publication of false news.

The case followed videos in which Camilla falsely claimed, without evidence, that President Mahama buried 32 cows as part of rituals to win the 2024 general election.

The videos went viral and later led to her arrest and prosecution by the Ghana Police Service.

Her lawyer, Kwadwo Gyamfi Bonsu, said after the ruling that the court struck out the charge of electronic abuse.

According to him, the court held that it did not have the legal authority to determine that particular offence.

Camilla was, however, convicted on the count of offensive conduct.

The court then imposed a one-year custodial sentence.

Mr Gyamfi Bonsu said the defence pleaded for leniency before sentence was passed.

He said the court took the view that such offences were becoming common and that a custodial sentence was necessary to deter others.

Before the sentencing, the court had earlier ordered a pregnancy test during one of the hearings.

Camilla will now serve the one-year sentence imposed by the court.