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Claim: Viral photos on social media show Ghanaian justices adorned in Kente as they are being sworn in. Social media users claim that Ghanaian justices have transitioned from wearing robes introduced during the colonial era to kente-styled robes.
Verdict: This is false. DUBAWA Ghana analysed the photo and found it to be AI-generated.
Full Text
Social media users share photos of Ghanaian justices taking an oath at the Jubilee House. In these images, the justices were in kente-styled apparel and headgears.
The setting of the images was quite similar to that of the Jubilee House, and they featured stamps resembling the logo of the Presidency.
An online user shared the photos on Facebook with the caption, “President John Dramani Mahama leads Ghana into a new era where justice wears our culture, not colonial relics. Rich African prints, kente cloth, and tradition now define our courts. This is more than fashion—it’s a bold declaration of African heritage and sovereignty. This move is a wake-up call to all African nations: our institutions, our leaders, and our people must embrace what is truly ours. Colonial legacies have no place in our future—Africa must shape Africa, in every form, from law to culture. Let our institutions reflect the true spirit of our nation.”
Several other users, including a Gambian-based media organisation, have shared the image on Facebook and X. These can be found here, here, and here.
Are the images authentic? Have Ghanaian justices switched to wearing Kente? DUBAWA Ghana decided to investigate the claim due to the virality of the posts.
Verification
Our first point for verification was to check for images from the recent swearing-in of 21 High Court Judges as Justices of the Court of Appeal. On the Jubilee House page, we observed that the event was livestreamed and the justices were in their traditional attire.
In a critical examination of the images, we observed some distortions that suggest AI-fabricationgenerated. For instance, the purported logo of the Presidency on the picturesimages was unintelligible.
Again, we observed that the faces of the justices, while in standing position, were very blurry.
Further, we ran the images through WasitAI, an online tool for detecting AI-generated images, and it confirmed that the photos were AI-generated.
The result from WasItAI
Conclusion
Images of Ghanaian justices wearing kente-styled robes and wigs are AI-generated. Ghana has not introduced a judicial custom that will see judges switch from the robes introduced during the British colonial era.
