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A Ghanaian blogger, Jeffrey Epprim Nyame, has been sentenced to 30 days in prison for disseminating false information. Nyame, who had been under trial since the previous year, faced charges related to the publication of inaccurate news.
The verdict was delivered by an Accra Circuit Court, with Judge Isaac Addo presiding. Nyame was found guilty and received a custodial sentence. However, the court acquitted Jeremiah Kobina Egyabeng, an IT specialist who had been charged with abetting the crime.
During the trial, John Baptist Ayitse, a lawyer acting as a friend of the court, appealed for leniency on Nyame’s behalf. He argued that the young blogger had learned significant lessons from his actions and would not repeat the offense. Nyame also personally requested mercy, assuring the court of his commitment to avoid such misconduct in the future.
Despite the appeals for clemency, Judge Isaac Addo maintained his decision to impose a jail term, rejecting the request for a non-custodial sentence. The judge voiced serious concerns about the unchecked spread of false information on social media, driven by the rush to publish unverified content. He emphasized the necessity of enforcing strict measures to deter others from misusing social media to disseminate misinformation, which often leads to public anxiety and panic.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Seth Frimpong, leading the prosecution, informed the court that Nyame had published the misleading article on his news portal, reportghana.net, on October 27, 2022. The article, titled “Dollar account holders to get cedi at BoG rate for bank withdrawal effective 31st Oct?”, was widely shared on WhatsApp, causing widespread concern among the public.
The prosecution argued that the false information led to panic withdrawals by bank customers, creating significant challenges for financial institutions.
