By Grace Zigah
Proceedings at an Accra Circuit Court on Thursday turned dramatic and politically charged as TikTok personality Aminat Mahama, popularly known online as “Bawumia Ba,” appeared before the court over allegations of making threatening statements against President John Dramani Mahama and the First Family in viral social media videos.
The hearing attracted significant public and political attention, not only because of the nature of the allegations but also due to the courtroom performance of her lead counsel, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, who represented the accused during the proceedings.
Observers in court described the legal exchanges as intense, with Lawyer Baffour Awuah delivering what supporters called a commanding and intellectually sophisticated defence on behalf of the accused.
According to accounts from the courtroom, the lawyer demonstrated strong legal arguments and an elaborate command of legal language during submissions before the judge.
Some observers noted that portions of his presentation became so linguistically advanced that he reportedly had to spell certain expressions for the court typist during proceedings.
The accused, who is believed to be aligned with the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), was arraigned on two charges — threat of death and offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace.
Upon taking the dock, Aminat Mahama informed the court that she was comfortable proceeding in Twi, prompting the court to translate the charges into the local language before taking her plea.
She subsequently pleaded not guilty to all charges.
According to the prosecution, the accused allegedly recorded and circulated videos on TikTok in which she made statements interpreted by investigators as threats against the President.
Prosecutors further alleged that the videos contained inflammatory, insulting and derogatory remarks directed at both President Mahama and the First Family.
The arrest of the TikToker was carried out by the Ghana Police Service through the Inspector-General of Police’s Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team (CVET) following investigations into the viral content.
Police had earlier announced that the suspect was arrested during a joint operation conducted in the Ashanti Region after the videos gained widespread circulation online.
The case has since become one of the most discussed politically related social media prosecutions in recent months, reigniting debate over online speech, political commentary and the boundaries of free expression in the digital space.
After hearing submissions from both the prosecution and defence, the court granted Aminat Mahama bail in the sum of GH¢1 million with multiple sureties.
As part of the bail conditions, the court ordered that one of the sureties must be a civil servant earning not less than GH¢5,000 monthly.
The court further directed the accused to surrender either her passport or Ghana Card to the police while investigations continue.
However, her legal team reportedly informed the court that she does not possess a passport, creating immediate complications regarding fulfilment of the bail conditions.
As a result, despite the grant of bail, the accused reportedly remained in custody pending efforts by her lawyers to seek a variation or adjustment of the conditions imposed by the court.
The matter has generated sharp political reactions online, particularly among supporters of both the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition NPP.
Supporters of the government argue that threats against public officials and inflammatory online conduct must be treated seriously regardless of political affiliation.
Others, however, believe the case raises broader concerns about the treatment of political activists and social media commentators under the cybercrime and public order laws.
The case has been adjourned as investigations continue.
