Africa

Ghanaian TikToker Jailed One Year Over False Ritual Claim Against President

Published

3 hours ago

July 17, 2026

Ghanaian TikToker Jailed One Year Over False Ritual Claim Against President

A Ghanaian TikToker, Camilla Alhassan has been sentenced to one year in prison after pleading guilty to charges of offensive conduct and publication of false news over videos she posted about President John Dramani Mahama. Camilla Alhassan, 43, was convicted on Thursday, July 16, 2026, by the Accra Circuit Court for sharing a series of videos alleging, without evidence, that President Mahama sacrificed 32 cows as part of a ritual to help him win the 2024 general election.

Prosecutors told the court that Alhassan, who has more than 70,000 followers on TikTok, published several videos between late June and early July 2026 containing false and offensive allegations against the President and First Lady Lordina Mahama. According to the prosecution, the widely circulated videos included claims that President Mahama performed ritual sacrifices involving 32 cows to secure victory in the 2024 polls. She also alleged that the government’s distribution of sanitary pads to flood victims was an attempt to conceal what she claimed he had done.

Court documents revealed that Alhassan made further unsubstantiated allegations, including claims that President Mahama had committed sexual offences, fathered a child as a result of excessive alcohol consumption, and was responsible for the deaths of former Presidents John Evans Atta Mills and Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur. She also made offensive remarks and threats against the lives of the President and First Lady, statements the police said were considered capable of disturbing public peace and undermining national cohesion. Alhassan was arrested on July 9, 2026, through an intelligence-led operation after police intercepted the TikTok videos. She initially appeared before the Accra Circuit Court on July 10, where she pleaded guilty to both charges.

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Before sentencing, Alhassan claimed she was pregnant, which led the court to defer sentencing pending a medical examination. However, a medical examination conducted at the Police Hospital confirmed that she was not pregnant. During the sentencing hearing on July 16, her lawyer, Kwadwo Gyamfi Bonsu, said the court struck out the charge of electronic abuse, holding that it lacked jurisdiction to determine that offence. The court convicted her on the charge of offensive conduct and sentenced her to one year’s imprisonment with hard labour. According to her lawyer, the defence pleaded for a more lenient sentence, but the judge ruled that the increasing prevalence of similar offences warranted a custodial sentence to serve as a deterrent. Under the law, offensive conduct is a misdemeanour carrying a maximum sentence of three years, but the court imposed one year after the defence pleaded in mitigation.

The Ghana Police Service has indicated that steps are being taken to prosecute Alhassan on a separate charge of false communication under the Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775), before the High Court. The police have cautioned the public against using online platforms to spread false information, issue threats, or publish unlawful content, reminding citizens that while freedom of expression is guaranteed, that right must be exercised responsibly.

The sentencing has sparked significant debate in Ghana about misinformation on social media and the balance between criminal sanctions and freedom of expression. Senior lawyer Kofi Bentil, Vice-President of IMANI Africa, argued that Alhassan should not have been criminally prosecuted over comments she made about President Mahama. He stated that the statements in question could amount to defamation but the appropriate response should not be criminal prosecution. This is not the first time an influencer has been jailed in Ghana. In September 2025, popular TikToker David Kwodwo Prah Afful, known as “Kwame Nkrumah II,” was sentenced to seven months in prison after being convicted of making death threats against President Mahama and members of parliament. President Mahama had previously stated that his government was considering ways to “sanitise” social media, instructing authorities to track down and arrest those spreading misinformation and disinformation.

Ghanaian TikToker Jailed One Year Over False Ritual Claim Against President

Africa

21 dead as Uganda school bus carrying pupils from study trip crashes

Published

14 hours ago

July 17, 2026

Trends Admin

The bus was carrying pupils on a field trip when the accident occurred

21 dead as Uganda school bus carrying pupils from study trip crashes

A devastating school bus crash in Uganda has claimed the lives of at least 20 pupils and the founder of their school after a bus carrying children home from an educational excursion overturned in the eastern part of the country.

The fatal accident occurred around 8:00 p.m. local time on Thursday at Chekwatit Hill in Kapchorwa District, a notorious stretch of road known for repeated fatal crashes. The pupils from King David Junior School, located in Ndejje near Kampala, were returning from a study tour to the famous Sipi Falls when tragedy struck.

According to the Uganda Police Force, preliminary investigations indicate that the bus developed a mechanical fault while descending the steep hill. The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, which veered off the road, slammed into a large rock and overturned.

Police confirmed that 21 people died in the crash, including 20 schoolchildren and Mr. Tadeo Ssekade, the founder and director of King David Junior School. Authorities said dozens of other passengers, including teachers and school staff, survived with injuries, while several remain in critical condition.

Emergency responders, police officers and residents rushed to the crash site to rescue victims trapped inside the wreckage. Many of the injured were transported to nearby hospitals for urgent medical treatment as rescue operations continued late into the night.

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Videos recorded by eyewitnesses showed the bus severely mangled after the crash, with residents working alongside security officials to pull injured children from the wreckage before ambulances arrived.

Officials praised members of the local community for their swift response, saying their efforts helped save several lives during the rescue operation.

Investigators are yet to determine the exact cause of the accident, although early findings point to a suspected brake or mechanical failure. Authorities are also examining whether the steep terrain, vehicle condition and other factors contributed to the tragedy.

The identities of the deceased pupils have not yet been officially released as authorities continue notifying their families.

Road safety concerns intensify

The tragedy has renewed concerns over road safety in Uganda, particularly along Chekwatit Hill, which has gained a reputation as one of the country’s most dangerous roads due to its steep descent and history of fatal accidents.

The latest incident also comes amid growing worries over the safety of school transportation following several recent crashes involving buses carrying students across the country.

Uganda continues to record thousands of road crashes annually. Traffic authorities have consistently identified speeding, poor vehicle maintenance, mechanical failures, reckless driving, overloaded vehicles and hazardous road conditions as the leading causes of fatal accidents.

The latest Uganda school bus crash has prompted fresh calls for stricter enforcement of road safety regulations, compulsory mechanical inspections for school buses and improved safety measures to protect children travelling on educational trips.

As investigations continue, condolences have poured in from government officials, parents, religious leaders and members of the public, with many calling for urgent reforms to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.

21 dead as Uganda school bus carrying pupils from study trip crashes

Africa

Kenya to Charge Nine Students with Murder Over Deadly School Fire That Killed 16 Girls

Published

3 weeks ago

June 24, 2026

Trends Admin

Kenya to Charge Nine Students with Murder Over Deadly School Fire That Killed 16 Girls

Prosecutors approve 16 counts of murder against each suspect after dormitory blaze at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil

Kenyan prosecutors are preparing to charge nine students with murder following a suspected arson attack at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, about 120km north-west of Nairobi, that claimed the lives of 16 pupils aged between 15 and 18 and injured 132 others. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said it had approved 16 counts of murder against each of the suspects after reviewing evidence gathered by investigators into the May 28 tragedy. “Upon careful assessment of the evidence, the Director of Public Prosecutions has approved charges against the implicated students,” the state prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

The suspects, who are all minors, have been in custody under a court-approved detention order as police completed their investigations. Prosecutors argued that additional time was needed to finalize forensic examinations, including DNA analysis and a review of CCTV footage. The students are expected to appear in court in Naivasha to face formal charges, with the ODPP confirming they will face “sixteen (16) counts of murder arising from the incident.”

The fire broke out in the early hours of May 28, tearing through the upper floor of a dormitory that contained 135 bunk beds and housed 202 students. Investigators allege the blaze was a case of arson, started by setting a mattress alight near an exit using paraffin and matchsticks. Tragically, the school matron failed to open an emergency exit, forcing students to flee through a single doorway. The blaze became one of Kenya’s deadliest school fire disasters in recent years, with students jumping from windows to escape the flames and some sustaining severe burns.

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After interviews with students and staff, and a forensic review of CCTV footage, police identified nine pupils as “persons of interest in connection with the planning and execution” of the fire. CCTV footage obtained from the razed dormitory reportedly showed six students starting the fire moments before students woke up. Detectives have positively identified seven students involved in the arson attack through forensic analysis of CCTV footage. The students were later traced to their homes and brought back to the school for questioning.

The ODPP has expressed concern over a recent rise in cases of arson and related criminal conduct in learning institutions across the country, warning that those responsible would be held accountable. The Kenya Red Cross reported that it had responded to 37 school fire incidents since the beginning of the year. Following the Utumishi fire, over 200 schools across the country experienced unrest, with properties worth millions of shillings destroyed.

Education Minister Julius Ogamba said preliminary findings indicated multiple breaches of safety measures at the school, including overcrowding in dormitories and a locked exit door. He dissolved the school’s board of management and ordered action against the headteacher. The ministry has since closed more than 300 schools following the tragedy. The government has also formed a multi-sectoral team to collect views that will form the basis of strategies to address emerging challenges in the education sector. The Government has announced it will not offer financial bailouts for impacted schools, putting the costs on parents, though it has pledged a taskforce to examine the factors behind school fires.

Kenya has a long history of devastating school fires. The deadliest occurred in 2001 when 67 students died in a dormitory fire in Machakos County. In 2024, a dormitory fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County killed 21 boys, prompting government promises of nationwide school safety audits. Many fires reported in boarding schools have been the result of arson, with disgruntled pupils—angry about disciplinary measures and living conditions—accused of being responsible, while others were caused by accident. Overcrowding in dormitories and the failure to follow safety guidelines, such as keeping exits clear and windows unlocked, have frequently been blamed for the high number of casualties.

Kenya to Charge Nine Students with Murder Over Deadly School Fire That Killed 16 Girls

Africa

Nigerian Migrant Arrested for Alleged Murder of Libyan Boss

Published

4 weeks ago

June 18, 2026

Trends Admin

Nigerian Migrant Arrested for Alleged Murder of Libyan Boss

Security forces in Benghazi, Libya have reportedly apprehended a Nigerian national in connection with the gruesome murder of his Libyan employer. The arrest follows the discovery of the victim’s remains, which were allegedly concealed inside a groundwater tank. Authorities confirmed that the discovery prompted an immediate investigation, leading to the suspect’s identification and subsequent arrest. The suspect is accused of stabbing the victim to death before attempting to hide the body. Local Libyan media outlets, including The Libya Observer, have reported on the incident, though official statements from Libyan law enforcement are still pending.

This incident highlights the precarious conditions that many Nigerian migrants face in Libya. The Nigerian community in Libya is substantial, with its members frequently enduring violence, exploitation, and abuse during periods of political instability. The country has long been a key transit point for migrants attempting to reach Europe, and Nigerian expatriates have often been subjected to harsh treatment, arbitrary detention, and violent crimes while navigating the dangerous migration routes through North Africa. The recent murder case adds to growing concerns about the safety of Nigerians living and working in Libya, where law enforcement and protective mechanisms remain weak.

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The recent arrest bears similarities to a case reported in April 2026, where a Nigerian woman was found dead inside a septic tank in Zawiya city. In that instance, the victim was identified as Alfred Ella, and initial investigations suggested she was killed by her Nigerian boyfriend. The circumstances of her death remained under investigation, and the case drew attention to the vulnerability of Nigerian women in Libya, many of whom face sexual exploitation, human trafficking, and gender-based violence. The recurrence of such incidents involving Nigerian nationals has prompted calls from civil society groups for both the Nigerian government and international organizations to step up protection mechanisms for citizens in conflict-affected regions.

As of press time, the Libyan authorities have not released an official statement detailing the charges against the suspect. The public and diplomatic missions, such as the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are awaiting further clarification from law enforcement regarding the suspect’s identity and the timeline of the alleged crime. The Nigerian government has yet to comment on the case, but observers expect that the Ministry will engage with Libyan authorities to ensure that the suspect receives fair legal representation and that the investigation is conducted transparently. Meanwhile, human rights advocates have called on both governments to improve protections for migrant workers and to ensure that justice is served in this case.