Former Minister of Health, Dr Bernard Okoe-Boye, has criticised the Ghana Police Service over the conviction of TikTok user, Camilla Alhassan, arguing that any confession obtained without the presence of a lawyer is legally flawed and should not form the basis of a conviction.

Speaking on Metro TV's Good Morning Ghana on Friday, July 17, 2026, Okoe-Boye described the police's handling of the case as "a shame", insisting that confessions made without legal representation could have been obtained through coercion.

"How can you get a suspect to accept guilt in the absence of your lawyer? This is so fundamental in law... It could have been secured through coercion," he said.

He questioned why the Police publicly highlighted Alhassan's admission of guilt, arguing that such evidence was unreliable if obtained without legal counsel.

"It's fake evidence. It's a sham when you come and tell us that someone admitted guilt. Where was the lawyer? Where was the lawyer? And you are proud holding this evidence," he stated.

Okoe-Boye said the Police, Electoral Commission and Judiciary remain critical institutions that have sustained Ghana's democracy and stability, but stressed that any actions that undermine public confidence in them should be condemned.

"The stability we have in this country is not because of politicians; it's the Ghana Police, the Electoral Commission and the Judiciary. They have helped keep this country hinged. So, anytime I see something worrying with them, I get very worried," he said.

He further alleged that Alhassan's confession was obtained before she had access to legal representation and challenged the Police to release recordings of her interrogation if they existed.

"I am here to let you know that Ghana Police got this lady to say, 'I have done wrong,' when there was nobody to speak for her. It's a shame. It's a very big shame," he added.

Okoe-Boye also claimed that Alhassan's lawyers attempted to withdraw her guilty plea after arguing it had been made under duress.

Jailed TikToker to be arraigned before court on another charge - Police

According to him, the defence filed a motion seeking to change her plea from guilty to not guilty, but the prosecution proceeded with the sentencing on the basis of the original plea.

He maintained that his criticism was based on principle rather than politics, saying the same concerns would apply regardless of which political party was in government.

"Some few years to come, if anybody in my party gets hold of the government, you don't need to call me here. You just read this in my voice," he said.

Camilla Alhassan, 43, was sentenced to one year imprisonment with hard labour by the Accra Circuit Court after pleading guilty to offensive conduct over a TikTok video in which she made abusive remarks about President John Dramani Mahama and First Lady Lordina Mahama.

In a statement, the Ghana Police Service said Alhassan was arrested on July 9, 2026, through an intelligence-led operation after officers intercepted the video, which it said contained offensive, insulting and derogatory remarks, including alleged threats against the President and the First Lady.

The Police said the content was capable of disturbing public peace and undermining national cohesion.

It also disclosed that sentencing was initially delayed after Alhassan claimed to be pregnant, but a medical examination at the Police Hospital confirmed she was not pregnant before she was sentenced on July 16, 2026.

Watch the video below

This is a shame! - Angry Okoe Boye alleges foul play by Ghana Police in securing TikToker Camilla's guilty confession in the absence of her lawyer#GoodMorningGhana #MetroTV pic.twitter.com/4FV79drhkx

— Metro TV Ghana (@metrotvgh) July 17, 2026