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Claim: A Facebook user has alleged that the Liberian musician Jonathan Lee Pratt, popularly known as JZyNo, has bought the latest Tesla vehicle worth thousands of dollars.
Verdict: This is false. Investigations by DUBAWA have shown that the musician has not purchased the latest Tesla vehicle as alleged. Speaking to DUBAWA on the matter, JZyNo said the claim is “untrue” and asked the public to disregard it.
Full Text
A Facebook user, Rib The Blogger, shared a post accompanied by photos on May 7, 2024, congratulating the Liberian musician JZyNo for buying himself the latest 2024 Tesla vehicle.
The social media user wrote:
“Congratulations to JZyNo for buying [himself] a brand new 2024 Tesla that cost hundreds of thousands USD. More wins baba. Only haters won’t congratulate him.”
Data available on Facebook shows that as of May 17, 2024, the post had received over 14,340 likes, 1,643 comments, and 81 shares.
While some followers who interacted with the post congratulated the musician for his achievement, others questioned why he would commit a significant amount to getting himself the luxurious vehicle.
A screenshot of the comment session
DUBAWA decided to fact-check the claim as part of its campaign against misinformation and disinformation in Liberia.
Verification
DUBAWA first contacted the claimant via Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp to provide evidence of the assertion, but he has yet to respond to the inquiry.
DUBAWA later contacted the Liberian musician, JZyNo, to discover if the claim was accurate.
However, JZyNo described the claim as “untrue” and advised Liberians to disregard it.
“I did not buy any Tesla [vehicle]. They lied to you. I do not even like Tesla. I like BENZ. Nobody should fool you,” the musician told DUBAWA.
JZyNo reiterated his position in a Facebook video, which he shared on his Facebook page from minutes 20:19 to 20:26.
A further search by DUBAWA showed that the American vehicle manufacturer, Tesla, released the 2024 Tesla Model S vehicle on February 20, 2024.
According to vehicle research firm caranddriver, the starting price for the 2024 Tesla Model S was between $74,630 and $89,630 depending on the trim and options.
Conclusion
Based on DUBAWA’s findings, it is not true that the Liberian musician Jonathan Lee Pratt, popularly known as JZyNo, purchased a 2024 Tesla Model S, as alleged.
The researcher produced this fact-check under the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame KariKari Fellowship, in partnership with Radio Gbarnga, FM 96.5 MHz, to facilitate the spirit of “truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy.
