On the University of Liberia campus on March 13, there were clashes between student organizations and lawmakers. The conflict erupted when Montserrado County District #8 Representative Acarous Gray stormed the main campus of the University of Liberia (UL) to settle scores with the leadership and members of the campus-based Student Unification Party (SUP).
The invasion, resisted by hardliners known as militants, resulted in a heated hour-long stone-throwing skirmish in which several people were injured.
The lawmaker, who had gone under the pretense of eating lunch on the campus of the country’s top public university, was reportedly enraged by SUP militants harassing ruling-party allies thought to be corrupt government employees.
Yekeh Kolubah, an opposition politician and ardent detractor of President George Weah, rushed to the aid of the students and fought back against Rep. Gray and his men as they drove the students from the school.
Yekeh Kolubah, a representative for Montserrado County District #10, addressed the student body (SUP) as Gray spoke to his fans and urged them to forgive Gray for the act of violence.
Before both lawmakers’ visits, the University of Liberia canceled all academic and administrative activities on the Capitol Hill campus, citing safety concerns of students, faculty, staff, and the public, and expressed deep regret for said cancellation.
The release says, “The University of Liberia (UL) hereby cancels all Normal Academic and Administrative Activities on its Capitol Hill Campus beginning at 12 noon today, Monday, March 13, 2023.
The student center where Gray’s scheduled lunch was to take place was locked before his arrival on campus.
But Gray posted this on his Facebook page.
During these scenes, several blogs, including news outlets, reported that one student, Boakai Prout, had died in the clash.
According to Shine Liberia, Prout’s lifeless body was allegedly discovered at the University of Liberia capitol hill campus.
The post attracted 225 reactions, 163 comments, and 24 shares.
The claim is also seen on Point View’s social media profile, another profile, and the University of Liberia Gees page.
Excluding Prout’s claim, a social media account Macclean Renner Posted “Hon. Gray has done this at the University of Liberia campus😭😭😭😭😭😭with Rocks!! Where is the LNP!!! Hon.Gray is carrying GUN!!SUP is doing everything to hold the campus as I write💪💪💪💪💯
The post showing a lady bruised on her face by Rennner attracted 130 comments, 28 shares, and 28 reactions.
Verification: The Stage Media did a Google reverse search on the photos making rounds.
It was established that the image depicting Prout was taken on September 7, 2016, in Salala, lower Bong County.
The images of a gruesome body were discovered right in the middle of the main street of Salala, as seen in the photograph.
The second image of a woman with wounds on her face is not from the SUP-lawmakers clash.
It is from the just-ended February Nigerian Elections.
“The incident reportedly occurred in a polling station where the woman was attacked by a group of thugs.Eyewitnesses say that the thugs used a bottle to inflict the injuries on the woman before fleeing the scene.”
The article was published by Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ).
She is also seen voting in this video on Twitter.
Conclusion: Following the research done by TSM, we can say that the images posted as Prout and a wounded woman didn’t occur during the March 13, 2023 clash at the University of Liberia.
We also cannot verify if there’s a student named Boakai Prout, as the University of Liberia has yet to respond to our inquiry.
At the same time, Shine Liberia has deleted its post, while the University of Liberia Gees page apologized for publishing similar.
Maima Wright
