An Uber driver whose photograph was splashed across Snapchat with false accusations of murder and theft has seen his livelihood destroyed and his safety threatened, after a 20-year-old woman was granted bail in connection with the post.
Promise Yayra Asamani appeared before an Adenta Circuit Court on charges of publication of false news with intent to cause fear and alarm. She pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of GH¢100,000 with two sureties. She is expected to return to court on April 24, 2026.
The case began on March 10, 2026, when Selasie Kwaku Anthonio, a 43-year-old Uber driver, was alerted by his nephew to a Snapchat post that had gone viral. The post featured his photograph and vehicle registration number, AD-1479-25, and accused him of being a “murderer and a thief.”
According to police investigators, the post also claimed Anthonio used signal jammers to disconnect passengers’ network connectivity and carried offensive weapons in his vehicle.
Within hours, the driver began receiving frantic calls from family members and clients. Soon after, Uber suspended his account, cutting off his primary source of income.
Fearing for his safety due to potential public hostility, Anthonio reported the matter to the Inspector-General of Police’s Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team on March 11.
Investigations traced the post to Asamani, whose sister, Stephanie Asamani, had booked a ride with Anthonio from Spintex to Oyibi on March 9.
During police interrogation, Stephanie claimed that during the journey, the driver asked her to alter the drop-off location, made a suspicious phone call, and that she noticed a rag and a hammer in the boot area. She said a verbal altercation later led her to exit the vehicle at the Toyota Motors Roundabout.
After returning home, she shared the experience with her sisters and sent a screenshot of the driver’s profile to the accused.
The following day, Asamani published the post, later telling police she did so “to create awareness.” However, she admitted during interrogation that she had no evidence to support the claims and had relied solely on her sister’s account.
When police extended an invitation to Asamani on March 12, she failed to appear. She was arrested two days later and was initially granted police enquiry bail on March 16.
The police have since cautioned the public against publishing unverified information online, warning that false publications carry legal consequences under Ghanaian law.