Monrovia – A Facebook user, V William Tengbeh posted in the Costa Show on Wednesday, September 20, 2022, that police in Zwedrew, Grand Gedeh County have arrested a 36 year-old man in possession of 40 voter registration cards. Tengbeh claims that the man is a supporter of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
The Claim
Claim: “Police Investigates 36-year-old man who is believed to be a CDC Partisan for being in possession of over 40 Voters’ Cards in Zwedru City.”
Verdict: Mostly Corect.
Rating Justification
After seeing this claim, which has attracted over 340 comments and reactions decided, iVerify Liberia team decided to fact checked it.
Firstly, we contacted our mobile fact-checker in Grand Gedeh County Eric Quaye, and he confirmed that the man arrested is Victor Bailey Jr. who was in possession of over 40 voters’ cards.
According to our mobile fact checker, Victor, 36, is believed to be the head of the disadvantaged youths (zogos) in the county and that he (Victor) collected the voter cards from his fellow ‘zogos’ in anticipation of extorting money from politicians in the name of giving support.
Our mobile fact checker further that the accused was initially arrested by police in the county for alleged robbery and theft of property but was later released and then was seen with the voters’ cards in his bag.
We also contacted Police Spokesman Moses Carter and he directed us to a press release published on the matter by the police on its official Facebook Page.
In this release, the Police informed the public that it is “investigating suspect Victor Junior Bailey, 36, alias, “Five Star” for robbery, theft of property and illegal possession of voter registration cards”.
The release continues: “On September 20, 2023, suspect Bailey, a resident of FDA Community, was arrested based on a complaint filed by a resident of Telecom Community in Zwedru, that on September 18, 2023, at 1200hrs, the suspect robbed her of her two phones, (one button Itel phone, color black, value 10 USD, one Techno Spake 7, value 39,500.00 LD, color blue)”.
The LNP continued that “During the time of his [Victor] arrest, he was caught with 42 voters’ registration cards”.
The investigation has not established how the suspect acquired the voters’ cards, however, the police has promised to “duly update the public as the investigation continues”.
Conclusion
Based on what we have obtained from our mobile fact-checker in Grand Gedeh and the Liberia National Police, we conclude that the claim made by the Facebook user V William Tengbeh, that Police in the county are investigating a 36-year-old man who is believed to be a CDC Partisan for being in possession of over 40 Voters’ Cards in Zwedru City is mostly correct.
Suspect Victor Bailey Jr., alias “Five Star” is undergoing police investigation in the county for robbery, theft of property and illegal possession of voter registration cards. The police is yet to establish his political affiliation and how he acquired the 42 voter cards.
Local Voices Liberia, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, has implemented the iVerify Liberia system with the objective of strengthening capacities to address threats to information integrity, especially in view of the upcoming 2023 elections, to ensure all Liberian citizens have access to credible, reliable and verified information, everywhere and at all times.
This initiative is funded by Irish Aid, Embassy of Sweden in Monrovia, European Union Delegation in Liberia and the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund. The donors have no say in the production of this fact check report.
