16 November 2009


Editor sued by member of House of Representatives



(CEMESP/IFEX) - Maryland County District Number Three Representative James Biney has filed a US$500,000 lawsuit against the publisher and managing
editor of the "New Broom" newspaper, Roland Worwee.

The lawsuit was filed after Worwee repeatedly published several news
articles linking Representative Biney and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
to alleged dubious roles in a contractual agreement between the government
of Liberia and the Cavalla Rubber Corporation in Maryland County.

The lawsuit filed on 20 October 2009 is expected to be heard by judge Peter
Gbeniwelleh during the December court sessions.

This is not the first time Worwee has been taken to court in connection
with the same issue. A few months ago President Sirleaf initiated a US$2
million lawsuit against the "New Broom" editor for the same publication.
The case is still pending before the courts.

Worwee has repeatedly told reporters that he is prepared to go to court on
the grounds that he has substantive evidence to support his newspaper's
publication. He claims the lawsuits against him are a clever attempt by the
government officials to silence the independent media.