Screenshot showing the false post, taken on February 14, 2023
Written in Amharic, the post translates to: “These smuggled weapons were found in the house of an Ethiopian Orthodox Church leader who is the deputy chairman of the parish council of a church in Jimma and head of the Jimma branch of Mahbere Kidusanin.” Jimma is a city in Ethiopia’s Oromia region. “Mahbere Kidusanin” refers to an association of people who strictly commit to Orthodox beliefs.
The post contains three images: one shows a rifle and a grenade launcher; the second shows another rifle along with bullets and a passport; and the third is a portrait of a man wearing a graduation cap and gown. The Ethiopian government has traditionally maintained a cordial relationship with the Orthodox Church, to which at least