Misleading Photo Circulates, Falsely Linking Anas to Anti-Corruption ORAL Team

A photograph circulating online claims to show Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas meeting with the newly constituted “Operation Recover All Loot” (ORAL) Team, which is tasked with investigating and recovering state resources misappropriated through corruption.

The image shows Anas embracing Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the chairperson of the ORAL Team.

However, the claim is false. The photo, originally shared by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa in August 2023, was taken at a social event and has been misleadingly repurposed with captions attempting to link it to the ORAL Team.

The photograph was posted by Ablakwa on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on August 13, 2023, with the caption “The Anas Principle,” following a private birthday celebration for journalist Kwesi Pratt Jr. There is no connection to any anti-corruption activities in the image’s original context.

Despite the resurfacing of the photo coinciding with Ablakwa’s appointment as chairperson of the ORAL Team by President-elect John Dramani Mahama, there is no evidence to suggest Anas is affiliated with the ORAL initiative. The team, formed to investigate and recover stolen public resources, includes notable figures such as former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo, retired Commissioner of Police Nathaniel Kofi Boakye, and investigative journalist Raymond Archer.

The viral photo highlights the ease with which misinformation can spread, especially as public interest in Ghana’s fight against corruption intensifies. The attempt to link Anas to the ORAL Team undermines the credibility of the actual anti-corruption efforts and spreads baseless claims.

The Anas Principle pic.twitter.com/xKf7Sfz8YL

— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) August 12, 2023