Monrovia – Former president of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) Abdulla K. Kamara has challenged the Government of Liberia to take seriously allegations of foreign investment by LIBTELCO Managing Director, Sebastian Muah, as exposed by the FrontPageAfrica Newspaper.
Commending the FrontPageAfrica Newspaper for the investigation and publication, Kamara said the Justice Ministry should not be swayed away from claims of extortion being alleged by Muah; rather it should also concern itself with how Muah got his money to invest in a foreign country if the FrontPageAfrica report is true.
He described as saddening that the Justice Ministry would leave the greater issue of suspected corrupt act on the part of a government official to which documents are being released by the FrontPageAfrica Newspaper, and instead invite the newspaper for investigation over a complaint of alleged extortion.
He was speaking when he appeared on the Capital Breakfast Club on Capital FM in Monrovia. He was one of three guests invited to discuss the ethical issues surrounding the FrontPageAfrica’s publication Muah’s alleged US$225,000 investment in a casino in Bangui, Central African Republic and Muah’s allegation of extortion and blackmailing on the part of the newspaper.
Along with Kamara in studio were the News Desk Chief of FrontPageAfrica Newspaper, Lennart Dodoo and Raymond Zarby, a producer at UNMIL Radio.
Defending FrontPageAfrica Newspaper as one of the outstanding newspapers in the country, he said he will be disappointed if it was proven that extorted from Muah or blackmailed him.
“I would be disappointed if FrontPageAfrica would take government money from Muah because they don’t want write a story that he Muah used government money to invest in another country. “
“I am seeing it in a more complicated way – let say the invoice is written to LIBTELCO, is it LIBTELCO that is going to pay the bribe money on behalf Muah, that sounds very funny to me. Again, this gives ground for another news story but I will be disappointed if that is proven by Muah,” he said.
He described the fight of corruption as not being a FrontPageAfrica fight, but called on media institutions operating in the country to join the fight with FrontPageAfrica.
For his part, Raymond Zarby of UNMIL Radio encouraged the FPA family to keep informing the Liberian people about more details on the case.
Zarby said as journalist it is good that FrontPage Africa also gives Muah the opportunity by publishing his side or clarifications on the matter.
“I think FrontPage Africa is doing well in the fight of corruption by the publication of your articles, but it is also necessary to give Muah the opportunity by publishing his side of the sage,” he noted.
Clarifying the issues on the radio, FrontPageAfrica News Desk Chief Lennart Dodoo said the FPA urged the Government of Liberia to investigate the allegation against Muah in a fair manner.
He also challenged Mr. Muah to prove evidence that the newspaper ever attempted blackmailing him with the story.
Dodoo noted that the FPA exercised due diligence to gather all tangible and necessary documents before coming up with the publication.
He reminded other journalists in Liberia that journalism would be of no essence if it does not drive change in society; therefore, there was a need for others in the media to join in the fight against corruption rather than buying to the allegation that the FrontPageAfrica was engaged in extortion – an allegation that had no iota of truth.