The attention of Sierraloaded Limited has been drawn to a recent fact-check published by Dubawa titled, “FALSE: $582 Million Cocaine Did Not Originate from Sierra Leone.”
In that publication, Dubawa explicitly stated that “Sierraloaded alleged that the $582 million cocaine was shipped from Sierra Leone.”
Sierraloaded wishes to categorically state that this assertion is false.
As a professional fact-checking organization, Dubawa and its editorial team are expected to understand the important journalistic distinction between the words “alleged” and “reported.” Where Party A makes an allegation and Party B reports on that allegation, it is inaccurate and misleading to suggest that Party B originated the claim.
At no point did Sierraloaded allege that the $582 million cocaine shipment originated from Sierra Leone. Our publication merely reported a claim made by Crime Intel, a widely followed X (formerly Twitter) account known for monitoring organized crime activities globally.
Furthermore, our article and accompanying video clearly stated that German investigators had not officially confirmed the shipment’s country of origin.
For clarity, below is the exact excerpt from our publication:
“Germany Seizes $582 Million Worth of Cocaine Reportedly Shipped from Sierra Leone.
German authorities have seized more than eight metric tons of cocaine, with an estimated street value of €500 million ($582 million), from a container that arrived from West Africa. Reports suggested that the shipment may have originated from Sierra Leone.
The container, which was declared to be carrying cacao beans, was found to contain more than 400 packets wrapped in black foil, each containing approximately 20 blocks of compressed cocaine.
Crime Intel (@WorldCrimeIntel) on X reported that the shipment came from Sierra Leone. However, German investigators have not officially confirmed the exact country of origin, stating only that the container arrived from West Africa.”
This report remains publicly accessible on Sierraloaded’s website and YouTube channel.
Accurate fact-checking requires addressing the original source of a claim—in this case, Crime Intel—rather than falsely attributing the allegation to Sierraloaded.
In light of the above, Sierraloaded hereby demands an immediate retraction of the false claim that it originated this allegation, along with a public apology from Dubawa. This should be done within 72 hours of receipt of this correspondence.
Sierraloaded further notes that the wrongful use of its copyrighted brand name in a defamatory context has the potential to damage its reputation and credibility before the public.
Failure to comply within the stipulated period will leave Sierraloaded with no option but to commence civil proceedings against Mohamed Dauda Kamara and Dubawa for defamation. Such action will seek general damages, aggravated damages, and any other remedies available under the laws of Sierra Leone and Nigeria in relation to this publication and its continued online circulation.
Sierraloaded trusts that this matter will be treated with the urgency it deserves in order to avoid unnecessary litigation.
