Popular Ghanaian blogger Jeffrey Epprim Nyame has been sentenced to 30 days in prison for publishing false news.
However, the court acquitted IT expert Jeremiah Kobina Egyabeng, who had also been charged with aiding and abetting.
John Baptist Ayitse, a lawyer acting as a friend of the court, attempted to seek clemency for Nyame, arguing that the blogger was young and had learned important lessons from his conduct and the consequences it brought. The convict himself supported the clemency plea by promising not to repeat the offence.
But neither the defendant’s nor John Baptist Ayitse’s pleas for clemency could change Judge Isaac Addo’s mind. He insisted on sentencing Nyame to a prison term instead of the suspended sentence requested.
The judge expressed serious concern over the unchecked publication of false news on social media, which stems from a hasty desire to be the first to publish information without verifying its veracity and accuracy. Isaac Addo stressed the need to “crack the whip” to serve as a deterrent to others who misuse social media to spread false information that creates fear and panic.
The prosecution team led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Seth Frimpong told the court that Nyame published the false report on his news portal reportghana.net on October 27, 2022.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the article entitled “Will dollar account holders receive cedis at the BoG rate for bank withdrawals starting Oct 31?”was circulated on various WhatsApp platforms and caused fear and panic among the public. It was argued that the hoax had led bank customers to make panicked withdrawals, putting financial institutions in a difficult position.
