Information that is manipulated in a comedic manner, it is mostly innocuous but has a slight potential of creating misinformation or undermining legitimate factual information.

Fact-check: These pictures don’t depict the Sudan pipeline transporting oil from South Sudan

These pictures were first used in India in 2015 and 2018; therefore, they’re not from Sudan

Writer: Jibi Moses

Sixty 4 Tribes Press, a Facebook page, published an article accompanied by two pictures of pipelines, the other on fire. The page claimed that locals in Port Sudan had set Sudan pipelines carrying South Sudan oil ablaze. 

The Facebook post attracted over 160 reactions, 60 comments and 49 shares, but it is false.

A screenshot of the post by Sixty 4 Tribes Press

Investigation:

211 Check carried out a reverse image search on the pictures, and the results showed images from different locations. One of the images was first used by an Indian Press, Energyworld.com, explaining the Bhilai Steel Plant Blast in a blog published on October 10, 2018. 

Other instances were the Bhilai steel plant blast, and the images used are shown here, here, here, and here.

Oilprice.com Nasdaq used the second image on Dec 3rd 2015. After that, many other sources have used it in their articles, as seen in links 1,  2, and 3. The photo is used as a stock image on the internet

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the claim that locals have razed down pipelines in Sudan carrying South Sudan is false. The pictures shared are not of the Sudan pipeline carrying South Sudan’s oil being set ablaze; they trace their origin back to 2015 and 2018, respectively, with one of an incident of the Bhilai steel plant blast in Chhattisgarh, India, not in Sudan.

Fight misinformation in mainstream and alternative media by not being a victim of fake news. Refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or don’t know where it comes from to prevent spreading false information. For more information on our fact-checking process, visit https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim. Our team will fact-check it and respond promptly. #FactsMatter

Fact-check: These shoes (Tex Hazel) weren’t found in South Sudan

The shoes were invented and used by a cattle thief named Crazy Tex Hazel in 1920 for stealing cows and are currently kept in the Northeastern Nevada Museum in Nevada, USA.

Writer: Jibi Moses 

Suncity Tv, a local blog in South Sudan, posted on the 11th of March, 2023, a story with pictures of homemade wood and leather shoes with a design of two pairs of cow hooves on each, allegedly found in some village in South Sudan, but this claim is false. 

The page with over 7,000 followers describes itself as a Society and Culture website on a mission to change the negative narrative of South Sudan, promoting all the 64 tribes in South Sudan by showcasing their culture and lifestyles and sharing myriads of success stories to keep you inspired had captioned the shoes, “These shoes were found in some village in South Sudan (village name hidden). A cattle thief designed and used it to hide his footprint while on duty.’’

A screenshot of the post by Suncity TV.

Investigation:

On running a Google Reverse Image Search on the picture, several results were brought on the internet 211 check found that the same pictures were first used in 2021 by a Facebook page named Bentiu Tv and Agogo Ayo, a blog named 9GAG, further still the same pictures were posted on Reddit. 

Some sites that previously used this picture can be found here, here, and here. All these pages and blogs clearly explain that these shoes were used by a man called Crazy Tex Hazelwood. He was a notorious cattle thief in America in the year 1920.

In the 1920s, one small-time thief named Crazy Tex Hazelwood made a pair of ingenious boots so he would not get caught stealing cattle from his neighbours. This pair of “boots” look like slippers attached to two cow hooves on each slipper.

These shoes are currently in the Northeast Nevada Museum in Nevada, USA.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds that claim that the shoes in the picture were found in a South Sudanese village is false. The shoes are not found anywhere in South Sudan but were used in the US by a notorious cattle thief  Crazy Tex Hazel. The shoes are kept in the Northeastern Nevada Museum but not in South Sudan.

Fight misinformation in mainstream and alternative media by not being a victim of fake news. Refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or don’t know where it comes from to prevent spreading false information. For more information on our fact-checking process, visit https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim. Our team will fact-check it and respond promptly. #FactsMatter

Fact-check: These images are not of a protest in Nairobi, Kenya

It is false that the pictures shared on Sixty 4 Tribes Press are about a protest in Kenya which allegedly destroyed a vehicle belonging to the South Sudan Embassy in Nairobi.

Writer: Beatrice Amude Paulino

Sixty 4 Tribes Press, a controversial Facebook page, posted a report on March 20, 2023, that protestors in Kenya had badly shattered a South Sudan embassy vehicle in Nairobi.

A South Sudan embassy vehicle in Nairobi has been badly shattered by protesters as protests heightened in the Kenya capital,” the post reads.

The Sixty 4 Tribes Press, a Facebook page with over 57,000 followers, has been in the limelight for sharing hate speech and misinformation-related content.

However, the claim is false because according to Google Lens searches here, here, and here, the pictures shared and posted were used on different pages, years and in different countries and not from a recent incident in Kenya. 

A screenshot of Sixty 4 Tribes Press claims that the images are from Kenya

The picture was used on August, 23,2016 in Mamelodi, South Africa, on the  Pretoria News Facebook page

It was taken near the Heatherly Cemetery in Mamelodi East, following fracas over a housing controversy, and credited to Oupa Mokoena of Pretoria News. Police were forced to use a stun grenade to disperse the crowd, sending people running for cover.

A picture on Twitter(@omwambaKE) showing a particular live scene from Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) 

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the claim that protestors have destroyed a South Sudan embassy vehicle in Nairobi, Kenya false

The pictures were randomly collected from the internet to fabricate a story which has not occurred anywhere in Nairobi, Kenya in the wake of the announcement of the Pro Raila protest.

Fight misinformation in mainstream and alternative media by not being a victim of fake news. Refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or don’t know where it comes from to prevent spreading false information. For more information on our fact-checking process, visit https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim. Our team will fact-check it and respond promptly. #FactsMatter

Fact-check: Yes, these images show a traffic jam along Seventh-day – Gudele street in Juba

There was heavy traffic along Saint Kizito – Gudele street. If you look closely, there are water tanks common in South Sudan.

Writer Beatrice Amude Paulino

A Facebook post on 24th November 2022 by Paam Ke sharing pictures of a traffic jam along Gudele street in South Sudan’s capital city, Juba, is true.

A traffic jam at Seventh Day Round about this evening. A lot of cars…,” partly reads the post‘s caption in which the pictures were shared.

But people said different things. Some people in the crowd were not sure if the photos were really taken on Gudele Street in Juba.

I don’t think it’s the Seventh-day – Gudele street,” wonders one Mr. Malish Michael

You are lying we don’t have these types of cars in South Sudan. Stop lying,” warned another.

Which begs the question, where exactly were these pictures taken? Why don’t we find out?

Using visual cues, one could see similar structures along the roads, an MTN billboard in the far left corner, a mGurush billboard in the far right ends, and some water tank trucks, which are common in Juba.

MTN billboard near Star Village Building and mGurush Billboard at the far right  

A search on Facebook for “Gudele jam” yielded the same images that were first posted on November 24th, 2022, at 5:01 pm by Advance Digital, a Juba-based mainstream media company.

Heavy Traffic Jam around St Kizito,” it captioned the pictures.

According to our observations, the photos were taken from the upper level of the building where Advance Digital is located, Star Village.

MTN billboard near Star Village Building and mGurush Billboard at the far right

Juba Electricity Distribution Company (JEDCO) poles and a transformer are also visible

Conclusion: 

211 Check confirms that these photographs were taken on November 24, 2022, along Seventh-day – Gudele Street. They were taken from an aerial view of the Star Village Building, which is located on this road.

#FactsMatter, Don’t be a victim of fake news; instead, let’s fight misinformation on both mainstream and alternative media. To avoid spreading false information, don’t share content you’re unsure about or know where it comes from.

To learn more about our fact-checking process, go to https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim, and our team will immediately fact-check it and respond.

Is the video of a Chinese assaulting an African engineer from South Sudan – report states NO!

Author: Emmanuel Bida

The current trending video about a one-on-one fight between two men at a construction site didn’t happened in South Sudan as stated, according to 211 Check investigations.

In the past forty-eight hours, there has been a video circulating online, in which a Chinese man is seen attacking an African engineer at what seems to be a construction site.

But is the video from South Sudan? No.

The trending video

In the now/above video trending on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, 211 Check found out that the incident didn’t happened in South Sudan as being claimed by many online users.

The occurrence happened at Tonkolili Iron Ore mine in Sierra Leone, where a Chinese miner reportedly attacked a Sierra Leonean Safety Officer, while was carrying out safety briefing. The reason behind the attack is not clear.

The Chinese Rail Way Seventh Group (CRSG) and Kingho Mining Company limited have both on June 9, 2021 issued press statements condemning the act, saying the conflict was “an expected and isolated case”.

The statement obtained by 211 Check states that the Chinese man has since been relieved of his duty as seen below statement.

Statement

#FactsMatters

Avoid sharing fake fabricated content. To know more about our fact-checking process, click, https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/ or contact us via 211check.org to present a claim – our team will immediately fact-check it and send you an immediate feedback.

Fact Checked: Was the giraffe killed by a passenger plane in South Sudan?

Author: Emmanuel Bida

Online fact findings have indicated that there was no occurrence that led to the killing of a giraffe by a passenger plane in South Sudan. 

On May 6th, a Twitter user posted a picture of a dead giraffe that collided with a passenger plane. 

The tweet was caption “Only in South Sudan”, which according to our analysis literally meant the Twitter user was reporting, that the incident happened in South Sudan, as seen in the below picture. 

The misplaced post

211 Check findings found out that the alleged image implying the event to have happened in South Sudan, is for an incident involving Pilot Tico McNutt, a researcher for African Wild Dogs that collided with a giraffe at Santawani airstrip in Botswana close to Maun Okavango Delta.

According to Aviation Safety Network, the event that occurred on October 4, 2004 left the giraffe dead. The Cessna 172, with registration V5-ETS crashed while taking off.

Fortunately, out of the four occupants, there were no fatalities reported, except the pilot who sustained minor injuries.

CONCLUSION: The incident didn’t happen in South Sudan.

#FactsMatter, Don’t fall victim to fake news; let’s fight the spread of misinformation on both mainstream and alternative media.

Note: To avoid spreading false information, don’t rush into sharing content that you aren’t sure of or you don’t know its origin.

To know about our fact-checking process, check the link below, https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/  or contact us via www.211check.org to

More links:

https://www.montanaoutdoor.com/2013/08/runway-collision-with-cessna-and-giraffe/
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/43570

Hoax Alert: Madam Atong Foundation Scholarship is a scam, don’t apply!

Author: 211 Check editorial team

Rigorous findings carried out by 211 Check crew have identified the notorious online Madam Atong Foundation Scholarship as fraud and deceitful page established to scam desperate South Sudanese and Sudanese students seeking scholarships online.  

According the investigations, a Facebook page named “Sudanese Scholarship 2020-2025.Madam Atong Foundation” has been making announcements bearing ‘fully funded’ scholarships to South Sudanese and Sudanese Students to study abroad.

The fraud page was created on July 27, 2020, and is primarily managed by three people in Uganda.

It on Sunday [23rd of May] made another announcement calling for applicants to seek scholarship abroad. The below screenshot bears the call for applications.

However, when fact-checked by 211 Check, the so-called “Madam Atong Foundation” is untruthful platform intended to extract money from anxious students in search of scholarship opportunities to study abroad.

Below are facts that show the page is a fraud.

Fact #1: No legitimate website and physical location

The so-called foundation doesn’t have a legitimate website from which its ‘the about information’ can be obtained. Though, the scammers claim to have a physical location at Bungoma district (a Kenyan border town neighboring Uganda) next to Electoral Commission Building, they don’t actually have an office there.

Fact #2: No legal existence

When 211 Check contacted the Uganda NGO Bureau, the prominent NGO institution said it not aware of such an organization. Refugee authorities have also denied working with Madam Atong Foundation that claims it offers scholarships to mainly to refugees in Uganda. In addition, Uganda’s list of non-governmental organizations operated in Uganda, Madam Atong Foundation can not be mentioned

Fact #3: Weaponized context:

Most of the images used on their Facebook Page are not in any way related to events of a so-called “Madam Atong Foundation”. Through Reverse Image Search, most of the pictures are of different events not of their activities as claimed. For example, one of the images used by the foundation, describing students to be lining for scholarship procedures in its office, is an image of truck drivers entering Kenya queue to be tested for Covid-19. The picture was taken by Brain Inganga, United States Associated Press journalist. See the below image to verify.

Fact #4: No Application Fully Funded Scholarships

As we all know, application processes for fully funded scholarships don’t need money. However, when contacted, the Madam Atong Foundation demanded cash of about $200 at the initial stages, even before you see the application form.

They usually want the money to be sent via MTN Uganda via Mobile Money to +256770671123 registered with the ANNE THEREZA KIGENI. Below are the contacts of institutions the organization requires the cash to be sent through. Its unfortunate Uganda’s prominent Centenary Bank is mentioned as well.

Fact #5: Errors in communication

Most of the communication shared by the administrators of this foundation have misspellings and grammatical mistakes – something a legitimate and reputable organization rarely commit.

Conclusion:

211 Check deep research findings suggest that there is no organization such as Madam Atong Foundation anywhere in the world. This is just a fake/fraud page designed to extract money from people who may fall victims.

Don’t be misled, don’t misinform others, avoid sharing such scams. Share this story with your network in order to save others from being scammed.  

To know more about fact checking, visit www.211check.org. Present a claim or rumor, it will be fact-checked, verified and immediately and resend back in a timely manner.

Scam Alert: Toyota Is Not Celebrating its 80th Anniversary!

Author: Emmanuel Bida

211 Check investigations have identified the trending message [link] about Toyota’s 80th Anniversary Celebration and the giveaway of a Toyota Corolla being sent to numerous internet users on various social media platforms as a scam.

The new online fraud popular on WhatsApp, Messenger, and Telegram, is being received by many online users via cellphone.

Analyzed by 211 Check, the message urges the recipients to click the link and be part of Toyota’s 80 Anniversary Celebration and get a chance to win a luxurious Toyota car.

Our investigations have clearly identified the message as an online fraud. Find out below why it is!

Protection and Safety: Don’t click or proceed with the contest, because your account might be compromised or you might be lured into a fake scam dealing. Avoid this link: http://jtyjdg.ymmtwq.cn/fengtian/index.php#1621339177652

Why is this Toyota 80th Anniversary Celebration contest a scam?

SCAM AWARD MESSAGE

For some online users wondering what qualifies the above message to be a scam, below are tips of classifying facts about online fraud.

Fact #1: The link is highly suspicious.

If you closely look at the link, it goes to http://1s7wttd.nodxteh.cn which is not an original or official Toyota Company’s website link or domain.

The links moves from one website to another, which 211 Check observed were unrelated Chinese-registered (.cn) domains.

In addition, the above link is not Encrypted, which would start with https://. Note: legitimate websites will use SSL-Encrypted links (with HTTPS, not HTTP). When you see such links, DO NOT CLICK on them.

Fact #2: Toyota’s 80th Anniversary was in 2017

Toyota Company was established on August 28 1937. The company celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2017.

Below is the Toyota Motor Corp tweet published August 28, 2017.

Fact #3: Toyota is in the business of selling cars

According to reliable facts online, Toyota Company is in the business of selling cars, but not giving them away for free as stipulated in the scam.

Facts states that the company has never offered a single car at free cost, when it celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2017.

Fact #4: The page has so many troubling clues

If you click on the link, you will be led to this page, claiming you will get a free gift with Toyota… and a chance to win a Toyota Corolla – a page that is full of grammatical mistakes, something an actual Toyota website would not have, because prominent companies such as Toyota hire professionals staff.

When you click on the comments of people who claimed to have won the Toyota Corolla, the links don’t take you to any reliable web. Our analysis shows that the messages are all ‘FAKE’ placed there to lure you.

In addition, if you check the code of the comments, you can see that all comments and pictures were manually inserted on the web.

Fact #5: You will always win the car

You can try the contest any number of times, and you will ALWAYS win the car.

Why? Because the next step involves you sharing this with 5 groups or 20 friends on WhatsApp. So, no matter how many times you participate, you will ALWAYS win the free Toyota Corolla. Do you think that’s the case with a real contest? Off course NO!

Fact #6: Website information through Whois Search

The WHOIS information of the imposter website reveals it was registered on June 17, 2020, in China by Sichuan Domain Fun Network Technology Co., Ltd., while the legitimate Toyota Website (https://www.toyota.com/) was registered on December 29th, 1994 by Toyota Motor Sales, USA – a big research that qualifies the message and website was scams.

CLEAR WHOIS FINDINGS

Conclusion:

It is cleared that the Toyota 80th Anniversary is a SCAM, NOT LEGIT. If you receive such messages, kindly ignore them and alert others about such online fraud threats. Secondly, don’t share or proceed beyond this page.

HOMEPAGE OF FAKE WEB

Note: To avoid spreading false information, avoid rushing into sharing information that you aren’t sure of or you don’t know its origin.

To know more about our fact-checking process, check the link below, https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/ or contact us via 211check.org to present a claim – our team will immediately fact-check it and send you immediate feedback.

Jebel Kujur manipulated images fact checked

Author: Emmanuel Bida

Online fact checking investigative findings regarding some recent pictures alleged to have been taken on top of Jebel Kujur in Juba have revealed those images as untrue. 

Last week, some photos made rounds on social media, especially on Facebook, that are perceived to have been taken at Jebel Kujur in Juba.

Two of the photos were shared widely by both some sensational FACEBOOK PAGES and individuals, depicting activities that they say “hikers do on the mountain top during their regular exercises”.

Hiking on Jebel Kujur has become a hobby for a notable number of Juba residents.

Below are a few examples of some images manipulated by some individuals.

First manipulated image
Second manipulated image

But, are these photos from Jebel Kujur? No, they are manipulated images, according to 211 Check investigations.  

The team of fact checkers Reverse Image Search images and online Photo-forensics software shows the photos to have been manipulated. They are probably photoshopped or edited using other sophisticated graphics applications. 

The first photo “Daggering_21.jpg”, alleged to have been taken at Jebel Kujur, was shared by Chiara Meatteli, a London based journalist, photographer and video maker in 2018. It originated from “Jamaica”.

In order to confirm it for yourself, here is the link to the Photo

Original image

The second photo that many online users believed to have been taken at Jebel Kujur, was shared on the Student Life website in an article titled: “Safe ‘sex’ at W.I.L.D.?” by Noah Charak, a sex columnist on October 8th, 2010. 

In the article, the photo depicts “daggering”, a form of dance popularized in Jamaica. Here is the link to the Photo

Original image

Note: To avoid spreading false information, don’t rush into sharing content that you aren’t sure of or you don’t know its origin.

To know about our fact-checking process, check the link below, https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/ or contact us via 211check.org to present a claim – our team will immediately fact-check it and send you an immediate feedback.

Fact Checked: Did Minister Mayen shoot into the air to disrupt Aweil’s football match?

Author: Emmanuel Bida

Military officials have confirmed that Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Minister Peter Mayen did not shoot into the air to disrupt women’s football match in the Aweil town of Warrap State as reported by various citizen journalists and alternative media on social media platforms.

Over the weekend, many South Sudanese netizens and activists went online to condemn the act as seen in the below picture, which stated that Minister Mayen shot into the air, demanding the immediate removal of his alleged wife Aluel Garang from the field.

The news that went viral on both local and international media claimed that Minister Mayen on Saturday, 17th March 2021 shot into the air to disrupt an ongoing South Sudan’s Women’s League match between the Juba Super Stars and the Aweil Women team striking for the removal of his wife.

“Minister shoots to stop a football game and take his wife home,” reads one of the headlines. Another of the far-post reads, “South Sudanese Minister disrupts match to forcefully take out wife.”

“Peter Mayen opens fire at Aweil Freedom to protest wife’s participation in women’s game,” reads the headline of Sudans Post.

African Sports on Monday posted, “South Sudan’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs & Disaster Management Mr. Peter Mayen Majondit forced a women’s league to be stopped as he stormed the field with gunshots to demand the removal of his wife, Aluel Garang, known as Aluel Messi who plays for Aweil FC.”

Officials of Aweil Football Association also claim that the minister shot into the air to scare spectators around him, according to Eye Radio’s report.

What exactly happened?

According to some sources, Peter Mayen is alleged to have paid a surprising visit to her wife’s family home on Saturday only to find out their three-month-old baby (Mayen Junior) crying in absence of the mother. Inquiring the where-about of the mother, he was told Aluel was for a football match.

WATCH PETER MAYEN EXPLAINING THE INCIDENT ON EYE RADIO’S DAWN PROGRAM ON TUESDAY

He then went to the playground where he requested the Aweil coach to substitute his wife, Aluel Garang. It is alleged she was substituted. This indicates that there was no force used.

However, chaos ensued when spectators blocked his car from leaving, with gates closed, while others started hitting his car and reportedly threatened to beat him up.

As seen in these videos:

Peter Mayen Majongdit told the Juba Monitor newspaper on Sunday that he did not shoot into the air. He instead said his bodyguard opened fire to disperse surrounding crowds. According to him, he had gone to bring home his wife who has a small baby. 

South Sudan Football Association (SSFA) also says the substitution issue was amicably solved but the chaos started during the departure of the minister.

It should also be noted that the game did not stop. It was played full time.

What does the FIFA rules say about women on maternity?

211 Check talked to an official from the South Sudan Football Association (SSFA) on whether they have independent rules governing football in the country and according to them, they work with rules channeled from FIFA which say, “A female player is entitled to maternity leave, defined as a minimum period of 14 weeks…”

Note: To avoid spreading false information, don’t rush into sharing content that you aren’t sure of or you don’t know its origin.

To know about our fact-checking process, check the link below, https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/ or contact us via 211check.org to present a claim – our team will immediately fact-check it and send you immediate feedback.