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Claim: A Facebook user has alleged that a Liberian refugee from Ghana has died from severe malaria and chronic cold at the CARI Regional Refugee Camp.
Verification: This is False! Investigations by DUBAWA have revealed that no refugee returnee died at the CARI Regional Refugee Camp in Suakoko, Bong County, as alleged. A Regional Director of the Liberia Refugees Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) told DUBAWA that the online information was “false.”
Full Text
A Liberian government delegation of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Liberia Refugees Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), and the Ministries of Information, Gender, and Liberia Broadcasting System visited Ghana on May 13, 2024.
The trip was to begin preparations for repatriating over 4,000 Liberian refugees at the Buduburam camp in Ghana.
The trip followed the demolition of the Buduburam camp on February 27, 2024, on the orders of the traditional authorities who own the land. The first set of Liberian refugees arrived via the Loguatuo border on Friday, May 24.
However, a Facebook user alleged that a returnee accommodated at the CARI Regional Refugee Camp had died “from severe malaria and chronic cold in the camp.”
“Tragic reports have surfaced from Bong County, District #5, confirming the unfortunate passing of a female Returnee at the CARI Regional Refugee Camp.
She lost her battle with severe Malaria and chronic cold after falling critically ill at the camp. Unfortunately, she could not access medical treatment due to financial constraints,” the Facebook user alleged.
Reacting to the post, another Facebook user wrote on June 18, 2024, that: “This is unfortunate that the rescuers cannot rescue returnees from common cold.”
Checks by DUBAWA revealed the claim has been making the rounds on community radio stations in Bong County.
DUBAWA decided to probe the claim due to its virality across West Africa.
Verification
The Regional Director of the Liberia Refugees Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) for Bong, Lofa, and Nimba counties, Dopoe Menkarzon, has revealed that no Liberian returnee has died of common cold and malaria, as alleged.
“I can confirm to you that the information is false and misleading. There has been no death of any returnee at the CARI regional camp in Bong County,” he told DUBAWA.
DUBAWA conducted a Google keyword search to establish whether any of the reputable media organisations in Liberia had published a report on the alleged incident, considering the general interest in stories about the returnees in the country.
However, findings of DUBAWA’s search have revealed that none of the reputable media organisations in the West African country had reported about the alleged death.
DUBAWA later contacted the Facebook user to find out the source of the claim, but he has yet to respond to the inquiry.
Conclusion
It is, therefore, not true that a Liberian returnee had died of common cold and malaria at the CARI Regional Refugee Camp in Suakoko, Bong County.
The researcher produced this fact-check under the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame KariKari Fellowship, in partnership with Radio Gbarnga FM 96.5 MHz, Liberia, to facilitate the spread of accurate and true information.
