Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned—or like a social media mob

In an age dominated by social media and big tech, the relationship between misinformation, disinformation and the criminal justice system has become increasingly complex.

Weeks ago, the Nigerian media erupted with the alarming news about a 16-year-old girl who had allegedly laced a pepper soup with toxic substances, resulting in the death of 5 individuals, including her ex-boyfriend. The sensational story was widely shared across mainstream news outlets, blogs, and social media platforms.

Some social media users even went as far as advocating for mob justice, calling for immediate punishment without the benefit of due process.

On platforms like X (formerly Twitter), misogynists seized the moment to push deeply harmful and gendered narratives, chanting ‘Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”.

At this point, the accused, an underage girl who had yet to be proven guilty, became a symbol, not of an individual on trial, but of a larger ideological battle.

She was arrested by the police after being saved from being lynched and remanded in a facility for children. Weeks later, after human rights lawyers took an interest in the case, reports revealed that the accusations were hogwash.

The deceased had unfortunately died from generator fumes. If they had died from any other cause, the police might have left important investigative trails in pursuit of shadows.

The media had followed a post from one of the deceased’s friends on WhatsApp, determining that the young girl had a mens rea (mental intent), she was scorned by her boyfriend, and a follow-up action; she had laced his food with poison and thus she was guilty.

The police, who have the power of arrests and investigation, had this to say: “While authorities understand how the deaths occurred, they are still determining the precise cause of death, which was initially believed to be related to food poisoning or potentially toxic fumes from a generator.”

This incident is not an isolated case. Around the world, the proliferation of misinformation & disinformation through big tech platforms is becoming undeniably challenging even for criminal justice actors.

In Nigeria, as in many other countries, the speed at which false information circulates online poses a significant threat to the presumption of innocence — one of the most sacred principles of criminal law and human rights.

The presumption of innocence ensures that no individual is considered guilty before a fair trial and that the burden of proof rests with the prosecution.

In Nigeria, this principle is enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, specifically Section 36(5), which states that anyone charged with a criminal offence is presumed innocent until proven guilty. It stems from one of the principles of natural justice: Audi alteram partem, no one must be condemned unheard.

However, this constitutional safeguard is often undermined by the explosive nature of trials that take place online.

The impact of misinformation on the criminal justice system has dire implications that cannot be exhausted in a short piece.

There is a need to revisit the functions of law enforcement agencies in our digital age. The Nigerian police force is already marred by a plethora of inefficiencies, and one cannot overlook the importance of transparency, accountability, and better funding for investigative work. Law enforcement agencies must be trained to deal with the pressures of public opinion and social media hysteria.

A robust system of checks and balances is needed to ensure that police investigations are not swayed by viral narratives but are instead based on facts and proper procedure.

Also, while freedom of speech is a fundamental right, the algorithms that amplify sensationalism must be recalibrated to prioritize truth and factual reporting over engagement-driven content.

In conclusion, the convergence of social media, misinformation, and the criminal justice system presents a clear and present danger.

The case of the “pepper soup girl” highlights the urgent need for systemic reform to protect individuals and institutions from the potentially devastating consequences of online falsehoods.

Only by strengthening accountability within media platforms, law enforcement agencies, and the legal system itself can we begin to mitigate the harm caused by digital misinformation and restore a semblance of fairness and integrity to the criminal justice process.

Adeoye is a lawyer & founder of Hope Behind Bars Africa. She is also a Commonwealth Scholar at the University of Oxford