The management of Diamond Mineral Water has expressed deep concern over what it describes as a continuous campaign of harassment and blackmail by individuals posing as journalists and bloggers, following recent social media reports alleging that the company produces unsafe drinking water.
Addressing the media in Monrovia on Tuesday, October 21, Hawa Ndama, the company's Human Resource Manager, strongly dismissed the claims as false and misleading, stressing that Diamond Mineral Water maintains strict health and safety standards in its production process.
"These reports on social media are untrue. We have a group of people who call themselves journalists or bloggers, but their main aim is to intimidate businesses. They contact companies, make false claims, and demand money. When you refuse to pay, they publish damaging stories," Ms. Ndama said.
According to her, the company has received multiple threats from individuals demanding huge sums of money to prevent the publication of fabricated stories about contaminated or "dead" water bottles.
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"The owner of Diamond Mineral Water, Mr. Atagari, drinks the same water we produce here. Why would we want to damage our own business or put the public at risk? Every batch of water is tested and monitored for days before release," she emphasized.
Ms. Ndama noted that videos circulating on social media showing alleged contaminated water bottles bearing the Diamond label are not recent and may have been manipulated. She cited internal investigations showing that one such video dated back to 2023, and the water featured was not produced by Diamond Mineral Water.
"That water was not ours. Some people are recycling old videos to tarnish our image. We urge the public and the media to verify information before sharing it online," she cautioned.
She disclosed that the management had initially planned to take legal action against those involved in spreading falsehoods but opted to work through formal channels rather than resort to immediate arrests.
"We are not taking this matter lightly. Our management will be reaching out to the Liberia National Police for a full investigation into these acts of extortion and blackmail," she stated.
Ms. Ndama reaffirmed that Diamond Mineral Water complies with all regulatory standards, conducting water quality analysis every three months in line with Liberian health laws.
"We have certificates to prove our compliance. Every analysis meets national and international standards," she added.
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She also refuted allegations that the company's production environment is unhygienic, noting that Diamond operates a modern, internationally certified facility where no direct human contact occurs during the production process.
"Even former employees and visiting engineers have confirmed that our factory meets international production standards. We are one of the top water producers in Liberia, and our reputation speaks for itself," Ms. Ndama concluded.
The management further dismissed as false and misleading a viral social media video alleging that the company produces or sells unsafe bottled water.
In a statement issued ahead of its press conference yesterday evening, the company clarified that the video is an old clip from 2023 being recycled to damage its reputation. It reaffirmed that all Diamond Mineral Water products are safe, pure, and fully certified, produced under strict hygiene and quality control standards.
Management condemned the spread of misinformation and urged the public to verify facts before sharing unconfirmed reports online.
Diamond Mineral Water remains one of Liberia's most recognized bottled water brands. The company says it will continue to cooperate with authorities to identify and prosecute individuals engaged in cyber harassment and misinformation against legitimate businesses.
