The 'Habesha Secret Video' Exposed: Truth Behind the Leaked Footage
By James H. Sterling
The frenzy accelerated when diaspora media outlet The Habesha published an inflammatory report alleging that Dr. Milkisa Gemechu was directly implicated in Simegnew’s death. Dr. Milkisa, an academic and former member of the Oromia regional government who later broke away from the ruling Prosperity Party, has long been a polarising political figure.
The article’s bold headline acted as an accelerant. Within hours, anonymous digital creators linked the written claims to non-existent visual evidence. Viral posts claimed that leaked CCTV files and encrypted voice notes proved the assertion outright. Thousands of social media users shared clip previews featuring blurry redaction boxes, dramatic string-heavy soundtracks, and clickbait arrows pointing at shadowy figures. Yet none of these preview snippets contained new primary material. They consisted entirely of spliced footage from unrelated regional security briefings recorded between 2019 and 2023.
James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.
