Ghanaian TikToker Mahama Aminat, also known as “Bawumia Ba,” has been re-arrested by the Ghana Police Service on July 17, 2026.
In several videos circulating on social media, Aminat is seen entering the premises of the Accra Circuit Court under police escort. Her re-arrest is reportedly linked to ongoing police investigations into allegations that she made threats against President John Mahama and the First Lady, Lordina Mahama, in videos she had posted to TikTok.
Aminat was first arrested on May 20, 2026, for offensive conduct and issuing threats against President Mahama and the First Lady, according to a police statement. On May 22, she was granted bail of GH₵1 million (about US$86,000) with two sureties. She was also required to submit her passport or Ghana Card to the Ghana Police Service and to report regularly to the station for questioning.
She was, however, re-arrested on Friday, July 17, and arraigned before the Accra Circuit Court on July 20 on charges of offensive conduct. The court granted her bail of GH₵50,000 (about US$4,324) with two sureties, one of whom must be a civil servant earning GH₵2,500 or more.
This latest development comes days after the sentencing of Camilla Alhassan on similar charges. Alhassan was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment on July 16, 2026, for offensive conduct conducive to a breach of the peace under Section 207 of Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act.
Investigations into Aminat’s case are ongoing, with the next hearing scheduled for August 3, 2026.
As earlier expressed, the Media Foundation for West Africa believes that custodial sentences for speech-related offenses are neither effective nor appropriate responses to widespread offensive or indecent speech on public platforms. We, therefore, call on the judiciary to prioritise alternative, non-custodial measures in cases involving speech-related offences.
