A screenshot of a Facebook post allegedly made by DW Africa, suggesting incumbent President George Weah has taken the lead in the just-ended presidential election is being widely circulated on social media.
“Early tallying in the Liberian election shows incumbent president George Weah taking the lead…,” the viral image supposedly posted by DW Africa partly reads.
A screenshot of the viral Facebook post
However, the post cannot currently be traced on DW Africa’s Facebook page.
Rather another post by DW Africa claims: “Provisional results in the Liberian election show former Vice-President Joseph Boakai taking the lead.”
A Facebook post by DW Africa
Which is which?
Our checks show the German, state-owned international broadcaster, Deutsche Welle indeed mistakenly published the content on the viral image and later deleted the post.
“I just found out that our social media editor posted it and quickly realized her mistakes and corrected it,” an Editor at DW’s English for Africa Service, Abu-Bakarr Jalloh stated when contacted by FactSpace West Africa.
However, the situation is generating heated conversations online with screenshots of the deleted Facebook post being widely circulated by supporters of the two leading candidates (here, here, here and here).
Conclusion
The screenshot of a Facebook post suggesting incumbent President George Weah has taken the lead was mistakenly published by DW Africa. However, the post has since been deleted.
(Update – DW Africa has issued an apology on their Facebook page, partly saying: “This is an edited report to correct an earlier post that placed George Weah in the lead, based on provisional results. Our sincere apologies.”)
