Newspapers Defy PUL Fine

Four newspapers found guilty of publishing  “libelous and defamatory” articles against French Ambassador Gerald Larome have failed to pay LD10,000 fine each as well as publish retractions in those dailies.

Mr. Peter Quaqua, president of the Press Union of Liberia, which levied the fine following an investigation, told New Democrat: “None of them have paid the fine. I haven’t seen any erratum in those papers or apology issued by any of the four newspapers” found guilty of slandering the French diplomat.

New Dawn, New Republic, Women Voices and the Chronicle newspapers last month   published articles accusing Ambassador Larome of allegedly refusing to pay two teenage girls following a “commercial sex service”.

The dailies also alleged that both so-called commercial sex workers appeared at the ambassador’s residence to disturb in demand for payment of their sex bill.

At a press conference, Ambassador Larome refuted the reports and urged the government and the PUL to investigate the slander since the Geneva Convention prohibits him to sue.

A subsequent joint government and PUL investigation found the four dailies liable to slander and PUL fined each newspaper to pay LD10,000 within a week as well as publish refractions to mitigate the character assassination.

But none of the papers have complied even after expiration of the deadline, Mr. Quaqua lamented Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the editor of the Women Voices newspaper, Mr. Messongar Gangar contended that the PUL has not officially informed his paper its decision on fine and erratum.

“The PUL wrote us to appear for an investigation. Now, after the investigation, we expected them to write informing us about their verdict. But they have not sent us any communication to that effect. So whom should you blame?” Gangar told this paper.