...To Respect Journalists' Protection Of Sources
-The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Liberian authorities on Monday to uphold the fundamental right of journalists to safeguard their sources.
This plea comes in response to a recent summons issued by Judge Blamo Dixon of Criminal Court 'C' in Monrovia, ordering the management and staff of the privately owned daily newspaper FrontPageAfrica to appear before the court and defend a report on alleged bribery within the country's judicial system.
In the report published on May 19, FrontPageAfrica quoted anonymous sources who claimed that a sum of US$500,000 was used to influence the jury that acquitted four individuals charged with trafficking US$100 million worth of cocaine. FrontPage Africa Managing Editor Rodney Sieh and News Editor Lennart Dodoo, in communication with CPJ via a messaging app, confirmed that their publication stands by the story.
According to the court summons, FrontPageAfrica's management and all individuals acti under the newspaper's authority must explain their position before the court that acquitted the four men. They are required to provide evidence of the alleged bribery and justify why they should not be held in criminal contempt.
The penalty for contempt of court, determined at the judge's discretion, may involve imprisonment or a fine based on the court type. Circuit courts, like the one summoning the newspaper's management and staff, can impose fines of up to $300, as clarified by Sieh and Ambrose Nmah, a spokesperson for Liberia's judiciary, during separate discussions with CPJ.
In response to the court summons, FrontPageAfrica filed court papers on Monday, which CPJ reviewed. The newspaper stated that it had no intention to blame, embarrass, or denigrate the trial court or Liberia's judiciary. They also affirmed their commitment not to publish any stories aimed at ridiculing or undermining the dignity of the court and the judiciary as a whole.
"The Liberian authorities should respect journalists' sacrosanct duty to protect their sources and withdraw the recent summons issued to FrontPageAfrica employees over the outlet's coverage," urged Angela Quintal, CPJ's Africa program coordinator, from New York. She emphasized that the journalists who reported critically on the court and subsequently apologized, if any inadvertent offense was caused, should not become scapegoats in this situation, considering the public interest in the acquittal of alleged drug traffickers.
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The drug case, which resulted in the acquittal of the four accused individuals, saw the Liberian government ordered to return US$200,000 that had been seized from the defendants. Following the verdict, the four men fled the country and have remained untraceable, as reported by FrontPageAfrica.
The drug case was widely regarded as a "slam dunk" due to the presence of both U.S. and Liberian drug enforcement authorities during the bust. Video evidence of the incident was also published by FrontPageAfrica, other international news outlets, and on various social media platforms.
Justice Minister Frank Musah Dean attempted to re-arrest the suspects and launch an appeal against the verdict. However, the Supreme Court rejected his appeal, as stated in the court papers. FrontPageAfrica's lawyers explained that the newspaper's reporters learned of the alleged bribes from credible and reliable sources while Dean and other Liberians were condemning the court's decision.
In their court filing, FrontPageAfrica expressed their sincere belief that the May 19 report would not be construed as contemptuous. Nevertheless, they offered a sincere apology "to the extent that the publication is construed or may be construed as being contemptuous to the presiding judge, the trial court, and the Liberian judiciary as a whole," according to the document.
Nmah, the spokesperson for Liberia's judiciary, asserted that the court summons aligns with Liberian laws. He also mentioned that FrontPageAfrica would not be held liable if they were able to substantiate the facts of their reporting during the court proceedings.
