5 September 2009

Lawmaker threatens Newspaper and Publisher with Lawsuit

(CEMESP/IFEX) - The New Broom Newspaper and its Publisher Roland Worwee have received a threat of  a lawsuit  from a member of Liberia's lower House of parliament.

Maryland County Representatives James Birney on September 3rd 2009 announced that he would sue the newspaper and Publisher for publishing what he described as false information about him.

According to him, the New Broom Newspaper quoted him as accusing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of receiving a USD two million dollars bribe to award the Cavalla Rubber Plantation in Maryland County, to the Salala Rubber Investment.

The Maryland county lawmaker also said the newspaper also quoted him s as saying that each member of the Maryland Legislative Caucus received USD 50.00 as kickbacks.

Representative Biney who termed the stories as total rubbished, was also accused by the newspaper of been’ linked to ritualistic killings and the sale of the National Patriotic Party Headquarters in Maryland county.

But the Publisher of the News Broom newspaper told CEMESP that the newspaper stands by the stories.

Mr. Worwee said he has information and evidence to prove that Representative Biney spoke to him on the issues and that he (Worwee) is prepared to go to court.