FrontPage Africa risks closure

The action of damage for libel was filed with the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court for Montserrado County against the paper's managing editor Rodney Sieh.

The plaintiff, through her legal counsels, has requested the court to adjudge defendant Rodney D. Sieh liable.

In addition of holding the defendant liable for US$1million damages, plaintiff lawyers also requested for the closure of FrontPage Africa newspaper in Liberia.

Plaintiff Parker informed the court that defendant Sieh had on numerous occasions, allegedly published libelous and insulting articles in his newspaper and the online magazine against her with the intent to disgrace, damage her character and bring her and her family to public disrepute.

The plaintiff averred that she is a peaceful and law-abiding citizen of the Republic of Liberia, who has never associated herself with any shady transaction, never been arrested, charged, tried and convicted for any crime within and outside Liberia.

In count-four of the complaint, plaintiff Parker stated that she has been privileged to serve her country in a high-profiled position purely on the basis of her professional competence and qualification.

Besides, she submitted that she is currently serving as managing director of the NPA, arguing that since her appointment, she has never acted directly or indirectly as an associate or an accomplice with anyone, or group to plunder, pillage or defraud any person, institution or agency of government.

Plaintiff gives notice to the court that during the trial of the case, she will produce sufficient evidence to substantiate these averments.

She observed in count-five of the action that defendant Sieh absolutely, unmindful of the journalistic integrity, coupled with the theory of professional objectivity and ethical balance of every news story, recklessly and irresponsibly chose, without any provocation, to demonstrate a sheer and outright disregard for the law and without any color of right and respect for womanhood and the fear of God, willfully, maliciously, openly and intentionally abused and defamed her good character.

According to the complaint, plaintiff lawyers noted that the alleged scandalous stories about their client were published in Volume 8, No 418, May 23, 2013 edition of FrontPage Africa, under the Caption: "Assets Declaration Fallout; NPA MD Parker, LACC Spar Over a 'Lie', in which the defendant substantially abused the plaintiff.

The complaint added that the defendant was not satisfied with first profanity, wrote another scandalous and malicious story in the same edition of the paper, Captioned: "Audits, Verification a Waste of GoL Money If... "

The plaintiff believes that as a consequence of the despicable and libelous allegations and insults meted by Sieh's publications, it has brought serious embarrassment to their client's office as Managing Director of the NPA as well as shame and disgrace to her entire family and international partners, who have high regards for her for which an action of damages would lie (hold).

However, counsels for the plaintiff notified the court that on May 28, 2013, defendant Sieh openly admitted and reluctantly published an apology Captioned: "An Apology To Matilda Parker, Plea To Comment Bloggers", which is an admission in the eye of the law.

Source: allAfrica