Post by AOJ LAW LOUNGE (@aojlawlounge)

"The law obviously plays little or no role, in the court of public opinion’s decision making process, only when it favours them. So, for example, people strongly cite their right to freedom of expression donated by Section 39(1) of the Constitution, but do not cite Section 45 which limits that freedom with laws such as the Cybercrimes Act and Criminal Defamation Laws which exist in various States, and the FCT (see the Penal Code Act).

This month, in Ghana, a female Tik Toker, Camilla Alhassan was convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment by the Accra Circuit Court 1, for making false claims that President John Mahama sacrificed 32 cows to gain political power, and that the Ghanaian Government’s distribution of sanitary pads to flood victims was a cover-up. She pleaded guilty. Her actions breached Section 208(1) of Ghana’s Criminal Code Act 1960 (Act 29) which provides thus:

“Any person who publishes or reproduces any statement, rumour, or report which is likely to cause fear and alarm to the public or to disturb the public peace knowing or having reason to believe that the statement, rumour or report is false is guilty of a misdemeanour”.

Claiming ignorance that the statement or rumour is false is no defence, unless there is evidence to show that prior to publication, the perpetrator took reasonable measures to verify the accuracy (see Section 208(2) thereof). This defence would obviously not be available to a Defendant, who is the originator and ‘disseminator’ of a false story.”

PFIPC: The Limits of Matthew’s Allegations – THISDAYLIVE https://share.google/ZUmqoWCJpAz3DeTya

"The law obviously plays little or no role, in the court of public opinion’s decision making process...

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AOJ: In the court of public opinion, the law does not exist; however, it does exist in the court of justice, where public opinion must first pass the test of law for it applicability.