FORUM Legal Counsels Want Court Decision Rescinded


Forum
Monrovia, Liberia

Distributed by

The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

Posted February 22, 2005

The legal counsels of The FORUM newspaper in the case involving Hope International President, Melee Kermue, for an alleged two million dollars damage have notified the Civil Law Court at the Temple of Justice to rescind its previous restriction order.

The counsels said since the plaintiff instituted court action of damages for injury to his reputation, respondent management has seized to publish matters relating to said case, as such the informant allegation is a complete misinformation which is only intended to mislead the court, therefore, “the entire bill of information must crumble.”

The counsels also reminded the court that as provided for in the Liberian constitution, respondent has the right to freedom of speech and as such, other stories not before the court have been published or reported contrary to informant bill of information aimed at restricting The FORUM from publishing articles on the plaintiff and his lawyer, Francis Garlawolo.

Meanwhile, The FORUM Managing Editor, Augustus B. Fallah, says no amount of intimidation will stop his institution from informing the Liberian people about happenings in society.

He said following more than 14 years of war, the independent media like The FORUM will serve as a vanguard to guide the citizens against the societal ills in all forms and manner.

Mr. Fallah vowed that the paper will expose individuals and institutions bent on portraying ugly behavior in the Liberian society.

He said if Liberia is to graduate from the odds that brought us to where we are, it is the media that should take the lead.

“Unfortunately,” Mr. Fallah lamented, “some media institutions are taking side with criminals in our society to keep the country in a state of darkness.”


© 2004: This article is copyrighted by the Forum newspaper (Monrovia, Liberia) and distributed by The Perspective (Atlanta, Georgia). All rights reserved.