Harare, (New Ziana) – Police have dismissed as fake a video circulating on social media claiming that police Commissioner-General, Stephen Mutamba, had resigned from his position.
In a statement on Monday, police spokesperson, Paul Nyathi said the video was artificially generated and did not reflect the current status of the police chief.
“The ZRP (Zimbabwe Republic Police) has noted with concern a fake video circulating on social media alleging that the Commissioner General of Police, Stephen Mutamba has resigned from his position,” Nyathi said.
“The ZRP dismisses this video as fake and was generated using Artificial Intelligence.”
He said Commissioner-General Mutamba remained in office and was continuing to discharge his constitutional responsibilities as the country’s police chief.
“As we speak, the Commissioner General is executing his constitutional duties as the Commissioner General of Police,” Nyathi said.
His dismissal of the social media reports come amid growing concerns over the use of artificial intelligence to create and circulate fabricated audio-visual material purporting to show public officials making statements they never made.
AI-generated or manipulated videos, commonly referred to as deepfakes, can make fabricated content appear authentic by imitating a person’s face, voice or mannerisms. Their circulation on social media platforms has raised concerns over misinformation and the potential to mislead the public.
Police urged members of the public to exercise caution when dealing with unverified information online, and to rely on official communication channels for sensitive developments involving senior Government and security officials.
The latest incident also highlights the growing challenge facing authorities and the public in distinguishing genuine video content from increasingly sophisticated AI-generated material.
New Ziana
