Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has alleged that some police investigators and prosecutors routinely pressure criminal suspects into pleading guilty to secure quick convictions, warning that the practice could worsen under the newly passed Tribunals Bill.

Speaking exclusively on Joy FM's Super Morning Show, the Effutu MP and legal practitioner claimed he had personally encountered several instances in which suspects were persuaded to admit guilt with the promise of receiving lighter sentences.

"It is not once, it's not twice," Afenyo-Markin said, alleging that investigators sometimes convince suspects that pleading guilty would "make it simple" and could result in a fine instead of imprisonment.

He cited the recent case of a TikToker who was sentenced after pleading guilty, arguing that it illustrated concerns about how some suspects are advised during criminal investigations.

Afenyo-Markin appeared to be referring to Camilla Alhassan, a 43-year-old TikToker who was arrested on July 10, 2026, over videos in which she made unsubstantiated claims that President John Dramani Mahama performed rituals involving 32 cows to secure victory in the 2024 presidential election.

Alhassan pleaded guilty to charges of offensive conduct and publication of false news before the Accra Circuit Court on the day of her arrest. On July 16, 2026, the court sentenced her to one year's imprisonment with hard labour after she was arrested by the Ghana Police Service with technical support from the National Signal Bureau.

According to Afenyo-Markin, the practice of encouraging guilty pleas already exists within the current criminal justice system.

"If this is happening, if you talk to any practitioner who does criminal trial will tell you," he said, claiming some police prosecutors rely on "fast-track" methods by persuading suspects to admit guilt rather than contest charges.

He argued that the proposed tribunal system could heighten the risk of wrongful convictions, particularly at the district level, by creating a faster adjudication process that may not provide sufficient safeguards for accused persons.

The Minority in Parliament strongly opposed the Tribunals Bill, 2026, which was passed by Parliament on July 17 following a walkout by Minority MPs led by Afenyo-Markin a day earlier.

Addressing journalists after the walkout, the Minority Leader argued that the proposed tribunal system could undermine due process and fair trial guarantees by creating a structure that risks compromising the rights of accused persons.

The legislation now awaits presidential assent before it can become law.