No, A Ugandan Cop Did Not Hit A Reporter For Asking Irrelevant Questions

A photo of a Ugandan police officer holding a slingshot during a press conference, is being widely shared on social media platforms with a false claim. The false claim states that the picture shows a Uganda police spokesman hit a reporter with a 'catapult' for asking a irrelevant question.

BOOM found that the claim is false. The photo was taken during a press conference in April 2021 about a police investigation into illegally imported catapults that the police suspected were going to be used to stir up violence during protests.

The caption with the photo reads as, "Newly appointed Uganda police spokesman hits News reporter with a caterpult for asking irrelevant question." (sic)

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Fact Check

BOOM did a reverse image search on the photo and found the same photo on an Uganda based news outlet Uganda Radio Network's article published on April 14, 2021.

The caption with the photo reads, "Fred Enanga showing how some of the recovered catapults are being used." The article identified Fred Enanga as a police spokesperson and reported about the investigation by the country's police crime intelligence unit on how consignments of factory-made catapults were illegally imported into the country .

The same keyword search also led us a Uganda police's press release carrying a better version of the same picture published on April 12, 2021.

"...the Directorate of Crime Intelligence has confiscated several factory made catapults during its intelligence operations, that could have been imported by negative elements as tools of violence. The catapults are capable of firing metallic projectiles or bearings thus posing serious danger to the safety and security of Ugandans, including security," the statement said.

Furthermore, BOOM also reached out to Uganda Police Force - a verified Twitter handle. "It is Fake, Fred Enanga was displaying before journalists, imported catapults that had been manufactured and imported into the country," Uganda Police Force said. "They were meant for violent protests, and this was last year during the general election campaigns," they added.

The police also sent us a link to a news bulletin published on UBC Television Uganda's YouTube channel on April 13, 2021. The video shows Enanga was demonstrating the process of attack using a slingshot and not taking aim at a journalist.

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