A Ghanaian TikToker sentenced to one year in prison for publishing false claims about President John Dramani Mahama is preparing to appeal her conviction, as New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Organiser Henry Nana Boakye, popularly known as Nana B, accused the government of suppressing free speech and violating her rights.

Camilla Alhassan was sentenced by the Accra Circuit Court on Thursday (16 July) after pleading guilty to offensive conduct and the publication of false news.

The case stemmed from videos in which she falsely claimed, without evidence, that Mahama buried 32 cows as part of rituals to secure victory in the 2024 general election.

Her lawyer, Kwadwo Gyamfi Bonsu, said the court struck out a separate charge of electronic abuse, ruling that it lacked jurisdiction to determine that offence, but convicted her on the charge of offensive conduct and imposed a one-year custodial sentence.

According to the defence, the court rejected pleas for a lighter sentence, saying the growing prevalence of similar offences required a deterrent punishment.

In a statement issued after the sentencing, Nana B described the prison term as an attack on free speech and alleged that Alhassan’s constitutional rights had been violated during her arrest and prosecution.

He claimed she was arrested on 9 July and put before a court without access to a lawyer or her family, circumstances under which she pleaded guilty.

Nana B further alleged that when her lawyers and relatives later located her at the Spintex Police Station, she had been physically assaulted, an allegation he said was acknowledged in the presence of a senior police officer.

He also said Alhassan’s lawyers had filed an application seeking to have her guilty plea retaken on the grounds that it was entered without legal representation, but claimed the court proceeded to sentence her without first determining that application.

“The public anger is justified,” Nana B said, adding that her lawyers were preparing an appeal against the conviction.

He accused the Mahama administration of using law enforcement agencies to intimidate political critics and warned against what he described as a return to a “culture of silence.”

The government has not publicly responded to Nana B’s allegations.

The Ghana Police Service arrested Alhassan after videos containing the false claims circulated widely on social media. Before sentencing, the court had ordered that she undergo a pregnancy test during an earlier hearing.

The case has generated widespread debate over the balance between combating false information online and protecting freedom of expression in Ghana.