Ghana’s Legal Crackdown on Political Defamation: NDC Organiser and NPP TikTokers Face Prosecution Over Offensive Comments

Ghana’s political landscape is witnessing a surge in legal actions against individuals utilizing social media to target high-ranking officials with defamatory and offensive remarks. In recent weeks, several high-profile cases involving activists from the two major political parties—the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP)—have highlighted the growing tension between free expression and the spread of false news. From prison sentences to high-value bail conditions, the judiciary and security agencies are increasingly clamping down on what has been described as "insults masquerading as free speech."

Prince Aboagye, a 39-year-old lotto agent and NDC Branch Organiser for Agona West, recently appeared before an Accra court following his arrest for alleged defamatory comments against Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. Under the TikTok handle "Atutulagh," Aboagye is accused of circulating a video where he leveled serious allegations of murder, theft, and extramarital affairs against the Vice-President. While Aboagye pleaded not guilty to charges of offensive conduct and false publication, he was granted bail in the sum of GH¢200,000, with the case adjourned until August 2026. His arrest was confirmed by the Agona West Constituency Chairman, Alex Asiedu, after the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in Accra took over the investigation.

Simultaneously, the NPP has had to address the legal troubles of its own members. Henry Nana Boakye (Nana B), the NPP’s National Organiser, recently confirmed that TikToker Camilla Alhassan is a registered party member in the Awutu Senya West Constituency. This confirmation came after Alhassan was sentenced to one year in prison for making offensive and false claims against former President John Dramani Mahama. Although Nana B emphasized that the party does not condone offensive language toward leaders, he also used the occasion to defend the principle of free expression, criticizing what he described as a past history of perceived crackdowns on free speech during the Mahama administration.

Further adding to the series of legal battles is the case of Aminat Mahama, popularly known as "Bawumia Ba." Initially slapped with a staggering GH¢1 million bail, an Accra Circuit Court has since reduced her bail to GH¢50,000. She was arrested for making derogatory comments and allegedly encouraging violence against President Mahama and the First Lady. The situation has sparked a wider national debate, with media personality Nana Aba Anamoah asserting that "free speech is not a license for stupidity." These cases underscore a growing "crisis of values" in Ghana’s digital space, with calls for more responsible public discourse to preserve the nation's democratic integrity.