15 September 2009

Liberian President Drags New Broom Newspaper to Court: Claims USD 5 million for damages

(CEMESP/IFEX) - Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has filed a lawsuit against the New Broom newspaper claiming up to five million United States dollars.

According to the writ of summons issued against the newspaper by the civil law court of Liberia, President Sirleaf filed for Action of Damages in line with the publication of the New Broom newspaper of September 3rd 2009, alleging that the President received Two million United States dollars bribe to award a contract.

The New Broom story further stated that President Sirleaf received the money for giving the Cavalla Rubber Plantation a business interest. The paper also reported that the Maryland county Legislative caucus also received 250 thousand United States dollars to endorse the agreement.

This is the president’s second legal action against a Liberian newspaper, with the first been  against the New Democrat newspaper for printing photos of her family members in a story dealing with an email scandal suggesting graft and conflict of interest.

In an apparent reaction to the New Broom publication,  information Minister Rev. Lawrence Bropleh based on a 1981 military decree passed one year after the military toppled the constitutionally elected government, demanded that all newspapers and journalists registered with him or face the government’s wrath.

At the sametime, the Press Union of Liberia has objected to Minister Bropleh’s demand.

In a statement issued on the matter recently, the union described as woefully shameless for the government of  President Sirleaf to be clamoring to enforce a decree that was promulgated by a military junta and at the same time  claims not to be muzzling the press.

“While we do not intend to question the democratic credentials of President Sirleaf, we therefore challenge her government to rethink the enforcement of this spineless regulation that contradicts the very essence of article 15 of the Liberian constitution” the Press Union of Liberia says.