Freetown, Sierra Leone – The main opposition party, the All People’s Congress (APC), has accused local newspaper Awoko of publishing “fake news” in a front-page article on January 30, 2025.
The APC claims that the article misrepresented statements made during a press conference held on January 29, particularly regarding deportations of Sierra Leoneans from the United States.
The newspaper’s headline, “Over 1,500 Undocumented APC Supporters Face Deportation from the U.S. Amid Trump’s Immigration Crackdown,” implied that APC members were being specifically targeted for deportation. However, the APC maintains that their discussion focused on Sierra Leoneans in general and not party supporters.
In a statement released on January 30, the APC clarified that their Deputy National Chairman had spoken about “our Sierra Leonean people” facing possible deportation but made no reference to APC supporters.
The party accused Awoko of deliberately distorting their remarks to mislead the public and undermine the APC’s credibility.
The APC further argued that deportations of Sierra Leoneans should not be politicized and criticized the newspaper for what they described as an attempt to distract from key issues raised at the press conference, including drug trafficking, the counter-terrorism act, and economic concerns.
The party is now demanding a public retraction and correction from Awoko, urging the newspaper’s leadership to uphold journalistic integrity.
