Sulemana Braimah Questions One-Year Jail Term for TikToker Camilla Alhassan Over False Publication
Media and governance advocate Sulemana Braimah has expressed concern over the reported one-year prison sentence handed to TikToker Camilla Alhassan for publishing false information about President John Dramani Mahama, arguing that imprisonment alone may not be the most effective response to the growing problem of misinformation.
However, he questioned whether custodial sentences are the best solution to a problem that has become widespread, particularly on social media.
Imprisonment Alone Will Not Solve the Problem
Braimah argued that Ghana’s misinformation challenge extends far beyond one individual.
In his view, social media has increasingly become a platform where fabricated stories, manipulated videos, personal attacks and politically motivated falsehoods circulate daily.
Using an analogy from his hometown in the Upper East Region, he suggested that imprisoning one person for false publication is comparable to killing a mosquito while ignoring the conditions that allow mosquitoes to multiply. According to him, such an approach may punish an offender but does little to eliminate the root causes of the problem.
A Call for Consistency
The media advocate also criticised what he described as partisan inconsistency in Ghana’s political discourse.He observed that supporters of both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) often applaud misinformation when it targets political opponents but condemn the same conduct when directed at their own parties.Braimah argued that truth should not be determined by political affiliation, insisting that falsehood remains unacceptable regardless of who benefits or who is harmed.
Rather than relying primarily on imprisonment, Braimah proposed a broader national strategy to combat misinformation. He called for greater civic and media literacy to help citizens identify false information before sharing it. He also urged political leaders to publicly discourage supporters from spreading falsehoods instead of rewarding individuals who gain popularity through misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric.
In addition, he suggested that civil remedies—including public apologies, corrections and compensation where appropriate—could provide meaningful accountability in cases of intentional defamation.
Building a Culture of Truth
According to Braimah, Ghana’s long-term objective should be to create a society where honesty is valued and misinformation attracts public disapproval rather than attention and political rewards.
He maintained that while those who intentionally spread falsehoods should be held accountable, lasting progress will come only by addressing the social and political conditions that encourage misinformation.
Concluding his post, Braimah appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to consider extending presidential mercy to Camilla Alhassan, referencing the clemency granted to the Montie Trio during Mahama’s previous administration. He expressed hope that, if granted a pardon, Camilla would emerge committed to promoting truth and responsible public communication.
Source: Sulemana Braimah
