Summary
A digitally altered image showing three men in traffic-police-style uniforms — one holding a microwave and another a tripod — was circulated on Kenyan social media with claims they were arrested in Kenya for using a microwave as a fake speed camera. AFP Fact Check traced the image to a satirical Facebook page (The News Vine South Africa) and to a 2018 South African video of a genuine arrest; the microwave, tripod and other inconsistencies were added to a screengrab using AI.
AFP’s analysis found multiple regenerated versions of the picture on Facebook and Instagram and identified typical AI artefacts (distorted text, fused fingers, missing limbs, inconsistent background patterns). Verification tools indicated a high probability the images were AI-generated; the manipulated images were shared on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram in July 2026 as a false Kenya-related hoax.