Ghanaian blogger Jeffrey Epprim Nyame was sentenced to 30 days in prison for publishing false news.
The prosecution led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Seth Frimpong told the court that Nyame published the false information on his news portal reportghana.net on October 27, 2022. The article, “Will dollar account holders get cedi at BoG rate for bank withdrawals from October 31?” was widely shared on WhatsApp and caused widespread fear and panic. This led to panicked withdrawals by bank customers, putting a significant strain on financial institutions.
An Accra District Court presided over by Isaac Addo found him guilty and sentenced him to prison. In the same case, the court acquitted Jeremiah Kobina Egyabeng, an IT specialist who was accused of helping Nyame, of all charges.
Nyame’s lawyer asked for a lighter sentence, arguing that Nyame had learned from his mistake and would not repeat it. Nyame himself expressed his regret and promised not to repeat the crime.
Despite these objections, Judge Isaac Addo ruled that a prison sentence was necessary. The judge stressed the importance of deterring others from spreading false information that could create unnecessary fear and destroy public trust.
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