West Africa: Political Party Activist Granted Bail Over Alleged False Publication

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a Media Foundation for West Africa press release dated July 23, 2026, reported that Prince Aboagye, an activist of Ghana’s ruling National Democratic Congress, has been granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court after his arrest over a TikTok video targeting former Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia. The report said the Ghana Police Service arrested Aboagye on July 19 after he allegedly made offensive and false claims about Bawumia, a leading figure in the opposition New Patriotic Party.

According to the MFWA account distributed by AllAfrica, Aboagye was brought before the Accra Circuit Court on July 20 and charged under Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act with offensive conduct conducive to a breach of the peace and publication of false news. At a further court appearance on July 22, he reportedly acknowledged making the video and accepted that the allegations in it were untrue. The court set bail at GHS 200,000, about US$17,220, with three sureties, including one supported by landed property, and adjourned the case to August 19, 2026.

The case matters because it forms part of a wider debate in Ghana over online speech, misinformation, political polarization and criminal prosecution of social media users. The MFWA said Aboagye’s arrest follows other recent actions involving TikTok creators accused of threats or false claims about public officials, including Mahama Aminat, known as “Bawumia Ba,” and Camilla Alhassan, who was sentenced on July 16 in a separate case.

The MFWA urged content creators and the public to verify information before sharing it and to avoid circulating unproven, defamatory allegations, disinformation or hate speech. AllAfrica noted that responsibility for the press release content rests with the named publisher.