Monrovia, Liberia – Members of the Press Union of Liberia have given their leadership permission to engage legal counsel in response to the government’s inability to substantiate claims that members of the Liberian media were paid by a drug gang.
At an urgent membership meeting on Monday at the union’s Monrovia offices, journalists decided to take legal action within a week. Despite assertions that the media was swayed to influence investigations into a significant cocaine seizure, the union claimed the accusations made by Inspector General of Police Gregory Coleman on behalf of the Joint Security Investigative Taskforce are still unsupported.
The PUL cautioned that if the allegations are not backed up by proof, they might jeopardize journalists, erode public trust in the media, and damage press credibility. Members also insisted that the accusations be challenged in court, claiming that they have distracted attention from continuing revelations that connect high-ranking government and security personnel to the drug investigation.
While demanding that the government provide proof to support its accusations against the media, PUL President Julius Kanubah stated that the union is still dedicated to assisting efforts to battle illegal substances.
