Claim: Lieutenant Colonel Issa Bangura criticizes President Julius Maada Bio in an interview on Radio Democracy’s Good Morning Salone Programme, stating why former President Koroma is more popular and successful than President Bio. This claim was spread via a widely circulated video on social media (WhatsApp).
Verdict: FALSE
Context: A video circulated on social media purportedly showing Lieutenant Colonel Issa Bangura, the Head of Media for the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), criticizing President Julius Maada Bio. The video claims Bangura compared President Bio unfavourably to former President Koroma, stating that Koroma was more popular and successful.
Evidence: To verify the authenticity of the video, Sierra Check contacted both Lieutenant Colonel Issa Bangura and Musa S. Kamara, the interviewer from the Good Morning Salone Programme.
Lieutenant Colonel Issa Bangura: He refuted the statements attributed to him, asserting that he never made such comments. Bangura confirmed that he had appeared on the show to discuss issues related to the RSLAF and state security but emphasized that the video in question is fake and manipulated. He reported the matter to the Sierra Leone Police, highlighting that such actions are criminal.
Musa S. Kamara: The interviewer corroborated Bangura's statement, confirming that the video is manipulated. Kamara noted that the original interview took place on November 27 of the previous year, following a foiled coup in Sierra Leone. He stressed that the content circulating on social media does not reflect the original interview.
Digital Verification Tools: Tools like Truepic, Invid, and TinEye were used to analyze the video. These tools confirmed that the video had been digitally altered.
Conclusion: The claim that Lieutenant Colonel Issa Bangura criticized President Julius Maada Bio in a radio interview is false. The video circulating on social media is manipulated. Both Bangura and Kamara have confirmed the inaccuracy of the statements attributed to Bangura, and digital tools have verified the video's manipulation.
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