Senior nursing officer denied bail on false news charge linked to TikTok account

Pinned summary · as of 15:32

Salomey Awiti Baffoe, a 40-year-old nurse from Techiman, remains in custody after the Accra High Court rejected her bail application on 24 September. She is accused of helping a UK-based TikTok creator spread false content online, a charge her lawyers dispute and have signalled they will appeal.

What we know

• Baffoe was arrested in mid-September and charged with abetting the distribution of false information on social media. She pleaded not guilty before the Adentan Circuit Court.
• The High Court rejected her bid for release on 24 September, ruling that the online nature of the allegations created genuine risk of witness interference or obstruction of the investigation. The court directed prosecutors to speed up their work.
• Her legal team, led by Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah and Enoch Afoakwa, argued that she was presumed innocent, that the charge was a minor offence, and that she posed no danger to the investigation if freed. The defence also highlighted her role as a mother to three children, including one about to start secondary school.
• The defence has announced plans to challenge the bail rejection through an appeal.
• Police have declared Barbara Asantewaa Kodua, the UK-based creator behind the 'Ghana Jollof' TikTok account, wanted in connection with the case.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  The prosecution alleges that Baffoe acted as a go-between for Kodua, helping to find people willing to share Kodua's videos across multiple platforms and that money moved between the two to support this work, with portions later distributed to others involved. Baffoe and her team have not responded to these specific allegations in the reports available.
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  The defence argued that the prosecution's affidavit rested on bare assertions rather than concrete evidence that Baffoe could actually interfere with witnesses or the probe; the court did not accept this argument.
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  YEN.com.gh reported that the Bono East Regional Police Command and regional National Security operatives stated they had no record of Baffoe's arrest when it allegedly took place around 11:30pm on 13 September, though she was subsequently arraigned in Accra.
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  Former Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia called for her release on 18 September, expressing concern about the midnight arrest and raising questions about free speech and selective law enforcement; no government response to these claims has been reported.

Why it matters for Ghana

The case touches on how Ghana applies laws governing false information and social media content, particularly when it involves coordination across borders. Questions about Baffoe's detention—including the timing of her arrest, the grounds for refusing bail, and whether the prosecution has sufficient evidence—matter to anyone sharing content online or speaking publicly. Her case may also influence how courts weigh public safety and free expression in cyber-related offences.