Fact-check: Is Salva Mathok in hospital after allegedly falling and breaking his neck? No, It’s false

Salva Mathok categorically denies the rumours, stating that he is alive and well. He states that he was present at Tuesday’s assembly session, which was later adjourned.

Writer: Jibi Moses

A viral Facebook post alleging that Salva Mathok, a member of the Revitalised Transitional National Legislative Assembly (R-TNLA), was hospitalised after allegedly falling and breaking his neck is false.

Two Facebook pages, Radio Dabanga-211 and Phow Radio FM, claim that the legislature collapsed on Tuesday, November 1st, breaking his neck. Radio Dabanga -211 claims to have up to 13 thousand followers and describes itself as “Good times, great hits.” The post has received more than 160 reactions, 330 comments, and 123 shares.

Meanwhile, Phow Radio FM (4,700 likes and 6,500 followers) posted this as breaking news. The post received over 100 reactions, 230 comments, and 104 shares.

The picture of Salva Mathok that the two pages used.

But to what extent do these claims doing the rounds have any basis in reality?

211 Check performed a reverse image search on the photo and discovered that it was first used in 2020 by Hot in Juba. Salva Mathok was photographed while in Nairobi for a routine medical checkup.

The legislature was with a friend in the picture Hot in Juba used, indicating that the two pages altered the original picture and cropped out the other guy, who was unnamed.

Original picture of Salva Mathok and a friend in a Nairobi hospital as posted on 06/01/2020

Recently, Salva Mathok has made headlines for burning down a Seventh-day Adventist Church in one of his counties in South Sudan’s Warrap State, claiming that the Church had been burning down shrines of local leaders, a practice that was driving people away from their beliefs. Furthermore, he claimed that the church encouraged sexual immorality. As a result, the public’s reaction to this story has been mixed, with some claiming that it was a punishment from God.

However, since then, he and the state governor, Aleu Ayieny, have travelled to Juba to participate in assembly sessions. They left the Warrap state capital of Kuajok.

Salva Mathok rubbishes ill-health rumours:

Salva Mathok, when contacted by No. 1 Citizen, an English daily newspaper in South Sudan, categorically denied the rumours, stating that he is alive and well. He stated that he was present at Tuesday’s assembly session, which was later adjourned.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the claim that Salva Mathok is hospitalised after allegedly falling and breaking his neck is false. The picture circulating is old, first posted on 06/01/2020

#FactsMatter, Don’t be a victim of fake news; instead, let’s fight misinformation on both mainstream and alternative media. To avoid spreading false information, don’t share content you’re unsure about or know where it comes from.

To learn more about our fact-checking process, go to https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim, and our team will immediately fact-check it and respond.