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Claim: A press release circulating on WhatsApp claimed that the Government of Sierra Leone is closely monitoring developments in the United States’ presidential election, including an attempted assassination of a candidate.
Verdict: False! Joe Sesay, head of strategic communication at the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, and Myk Berewa, director of communications at the Office of the President, said the government did not release a statement on the United States election.
Full Text
Following the assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump, social media lit up with reactions. Find other reactions here, here, here and here. While governments and international organizations genuinely issued some global reactions, others were fake.
For instance, anonymous social media users faked the government’s letterhead in Sierra Leone to issue a response to the assassination attempt in a statement dated July 17, 2024.
The press release purports to be an official statement from the Government of Sierra Leone, expressing concern over escalating tensions in the United States election and offering to mediate between the main candidates, Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The document claims that the Sierra Leone government is closely monitoring the situation and condemns all forms of political violence, hate speech, and provocations. It also outlines an unusual involvement by proposing to deploy observers to various states to oversee the election process and release a comprehensive report afterward. This direct intervention in another nation’s domestic electoral affairs is highly atypical and suggests a need for more authenticity in the press release.
Offering mediation and election oversight in a foreign election is far beyond the traditional role and influence of Sierra Leone in international politics. Such actions would likely be perceived as interference, especially in a major power like the United States. Typically, foreign governments refrain from becoming involved in the internal political matters of other countries, especially through official channels, to avoid diplomatic tensions. The specificity of the offer to mediate between Trump and Biden, including facilitating dialogue through the embassy in Washington D.C., further highlights the implausibility of the document.
Additionally, the press release’s advice to Sierra Leone citizens living in the United States, particularly in the DMV area (Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia), to exercise vigilance and avoid crowded areas seems overly specific for an official government statement. While it is common for governments to issue safety advisories for their citizens abroad, the focus on the DMV area and the direct mention of maintaining close contact with the embassy for assistance suggests an improbable
level of involvement and detail for national government communication. This specificity, combined with the broader claims, undermines the credibility of the document.
Moreover, the tone and content of the press release do not align with typical diplomatic communication. Official statements from governments, especially concerning sensitive topics like foreign elections, tend to be more measured and generalized. The explicit condemnation of violence and the detailed instructions to citizens indicate a level of engagement that is unrealistic for Sierra Leone’s government in this context. The lack of corroborating sources or similar statements from credible channels further supports the conclusion that this press release is fabricated.
The credibility of the Sierra Leone government could be compromised if it is believed to be making unfounded statements about foreign events. Verifying the authenticity of the press release will help preserve public trust in official government communications.
Therefore, DUBAWA decided to investigate this claim to ensure that government communication channels are not used to spread false information and to help maintain the integrity of state institutions.
Verification
DUBAWA contacted Abubakarr Joe Sesay, head of strategic communication, Ministry of Information and Civic Education, via WhatsApp on July 17, 2024, to clarify this claim.
“The press release making rounds on social media is fake,” he said.
Further, DUBAWA also contacted Myk Berewa, director of communications, Office of the President, via WhatsApp on July 17, 2024.
“The press release is not from the Office of the Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman; hence, it is fake,” Mr Berewa reiterated.
DUBAWA also checked the Ministry of Information and Civic Education’s social media handles, where such government information would be posted. The press release was not on their handles.
Further, DUBAWA observed differences between the purported press statements on the US election and a sample of press releases posted on official government social media handles or websites.
The differences between the two press statements can be observed in several aspects: letterhead, title, date, grammatical errors, and closing.
The wording of the letterhead in the fake press statement (left) differs from that of the official letterhead.
The fake press statement does not provide a specific title. In contrast, the authentic press statement includes a detailed title: “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” followed by the title.
The fake press statement contains significant grammatical errors, while the authentic press statement does not have such errors.
Another difference can also be seen in positioning the dates.
In addition, the closing of the fake press statement ends with “- End -” while the authentic press statement ends appropriately with a footnote.
Conclusion
Based on the findings, the press release making rounds on WhatsApp is false.
This report is produced for the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame KarKari Fact-Checking Fellowship in partnership with Epic Radio to facilitate the ethos of truth in journalism and enhance media literacy in Sierra Leone.
