A Nigerian Twitter troll has been sentenced to two years in prison for maliciously spreading false information claiming that singer Adekunle Gold and his wife Simi’s daughter, Deja, had died from a rare disease.
Samuel Adeboye Adeyeye, known online as @Swanky0001 or Swanky, posted the harmful rumour in a bid to gain engagement. In the viral tweet, he wrote:
“Adekunle Gold just lost his daughter Deja at a tender age of 6. Reports have it that she lost her life to a rare disease called Canavan disease. May her perfect, gentle soul rest in peace.”
He was arrested, taken to court, and pleaded guilty to spreading misinformation with malicious intent. The court convicted him and handed down a two-year prison sentence.
The case has been widely celebrated online as a strong warning against reckless social media behaviour, especially when it involves children and public figures. Many netizens described the judgment as a landmark moment for accountability on Nigerian social media platforms.
Adekunle Gold and Simi’s daughter, Deja, is alive and well. The couple has occasionally shared glimpses of their family life, though they largely keep their children away from public scrutiny.
This conviction adds to a growing list of cases where social media users have faced legal consequences for defamation, cyberbullying, and spreading fake news about celebrities and their families.