In Summary:
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Some Facebook users have claimed recently that Justin Oldman Yeazehn, alias Prophet Key, has been released from prison, sharing an AI-generated image that quickly gained attention.
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Authorities from the Ministry of Justice in Liberia confirmed the claim is false, stating that Prophet Key remains imprisoned and continues to serve his sentence.
A Facebook user, Joseph Sackor, with 11,000 followers, has claimed that Justin Oldman Yeazehn, commonly known as Prophet Key, has been released from Liberia’s Central Prison after being sentenced to jail by the Supreme Court of Liberia.for contempt of court.
Sackor made this claim on March 13, sharing a purported photograph of Prophet Key alongside a court sheriff, a police officer, and jubilant citizens in a compound he suggested was the Central Prison. His post has generated 1,700 reactions, 351 comments, and 46 shares.
Beyond Sackor’s post, several other users have circulated similar claims (seen here, here, and here) alleging that the jailed social media commentator has been secretly released by government authorities.
Justin Oldman Yeazehn, a Liberian social commentator and online personality, rose to prominence through social media livestreams during the administration of former President George Weah, frequently criticizing public officials and prominent citizens by using vulgarity.
The Supreme Court sentenced Prophet Key to six months’ imprisonment on February 13 for contempt, a day after he appeared before the Full Bench, pleaded guilty, and asked the justices for mercy.
The Claim
The Facebook user wrote: “Prophet Key has been released from the prison compound today. After spending time at the Monrovia Central Prison, many supporters and citizens are welcoming the news of his freedom.”
Rating Justification
To fact-check this claim, we conducted a physical examination of the image being circulated. Our analysis revealed that the uniform worn by the court sheriff in the photo displays two flag patches representing the United States of America.
Additionally, the image purported to show Prophet Key does not match his known physical features. Notably, Prophet Key is recognized for having visible gaps in both his upper and lower teeth, features that are absent in the image.
Beyond this visual assessment, we also conducted an AI detection analysis of the image. The results indicate that the image was generated using artificial intelligence and does not correspond to any known or existing photograph.
Meanwhile, we contacted the Ministry of Justice through Atty Gabriel Ndupellar, the Assistant Minister for Corrections and Rehabilitation, inquiring about information on the matter.
Atty. Ndupellar responded, clarifying that the claim “is untrue.” Minister Ndupellar added that “the court is the only competent body to commit and order release. We cannot do otherwise as we lack such legal authority. If the court sends a release before six months expire, we will honor the same, but none has come from the Supreme Court,” my brother.
Conclusion
Based on our findings, we conclude that the viral claim that social commentator Justin Oldman Yeazehn (Prophet Key) has been released from prison before completing his sentence is misleading.
Our analysis, including a physical examination of the image circulating on social media, as well as a response from the Ministry of Justice, indicates that he remains in custody and is still serving his jail sentence.
