The Monrovia City Court has sent to jail an employee of Liberian’s Ministry of Justice, Sawah Eric Zeon for allegedly disseminating sensitive documents to the Spoon TV/Radio Network’s Chief Executive Officer, as Garmah Never Lomo reports.
Spoon Network in Monrovia is owned by Stanton Witherspoon, a Liberian-born resident of the United States who has been indicted for fraud in the tone of tens of millions of dollars while allegedly operating a dubious Nursing Program in the US.
During and after the 2023 elections that brought the ruling Unity Party government to power, Spoon Network has been widely seen as pro-UP government.
The latest Police charge sheet says, the alleged act of defendant Zeon is in violation of chapters 11 and 12 respectively, sections 11.9 and 12.71 of the revised Penal Law of Liberia, defendant Sawah Eric Zeon, an employee of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) was arrested by the Liberia National Police (LNP), informed of his Constitutional/Miranda rights, investigated and duly charged with the commission of the crime “Mishandling Sensitive Information and Unlawful Disclosure of Confidential Information”. INVESTIGATION During Police/CSD
Defendant Zeon was charged with MISHANDLING SENSITIVE INFORMATION and UNLAWFUL DISCLOSURE OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.
Police investigation conducted reference the allegation brought forth against defendant Sawah Eric Zeon, investigation discovered that he got employed with the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) in December 2023, as filing clerk and that his employment was through the instrumentality of Mr. Romeo G. Clarke, former Special Assistant to then Attorney General/Minister of Justice, Cllr. Frank Musa Dean.
The Investigation also discovered that upon defendant Sawah Eric Zeon employment, he had been assigned in the Minister of Justice office alongside Madam Lovetee Zela Gonyon and Madam Wede A.T. Jones who all served in the same position (filing clerk), with the responsibilities to sort, organize, file and retrieve documents only in the office of the Attorney General/Minister of Justice.
reference to the issue about, the Joint National SECURITY usually meets to discuss National security issues of the Country or threats to National recorded/logged and referred to as meeting minutes which should/ must security.
Regardless of the meeting venue, these verbal discussions are being confidential considering the nature. Hard copies of these Joint NATIONAL SECURITY meetings are transferred to the Attorney General/Minister of Justice (MOJ) for his perusal and input as necessary.
Additionally, given the sensitive nature of the meeting minutes, the documents are to be handled differently on the basis of who need to, not to be turned over and or given to unauthorized persons. The meeting minutes coming from Joint National Security discussion are to be handled by the Minister/Attorney General, the Special Assistant to the Minister and the Joint National Security Coordinator.
The minutes are not to be filed but should rather be kept in the office of the Special Assistant due to its confidential nature. The investigation discovered that, a Joint National SECURITY meeting was held at the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) on June 7, 2024, the meeting minutes was turned over to Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh, Attorney General/Minister of Justice who upon completion of editing said meeting minutes, on September 3, 2024 sent it to his office administrative staff for filing.
While the document (June 7, 2024, Joint National SECURITY meeting minutes) was at the Minister’s administrative staff office, defendant Sawah Eric Zeon on September 5, 2024, screen shot/photographed the meeting minutes using his black electronic gadget (ipad) and thereafter, he forwarded same to Mr. Stanton Witherspoon who he (defendant Sawah Eric Zeon) had been in conversation with prior to September 5, 2024.
Investigation again discovered that upon receipt of the June 7, 2024 National SECURITY meeting minutes, same was discussed on the Spoon Talk Show by Mr. Stanton Witherspoon and other colleagues.
FINDINGS OF THE INVESTIGATION Having reviewed the facts and circumstances in this case, the investigation resolved with the below findings;
That defendant Sawah Eric Zeon is identified as the perpetrator who without authorization and with criminal intend, used his electronic gadget (black iPad) bearing serial number DLZWQW6K39 on September 5, 2024 to photograph/ screen shot a written meeting minutes of the discussion deriving from a meeting held on June 7, 2024 at the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) by some members of the Joint NATIONAL SECURITY of Liberia.
That in fulfillment of his criminal intend, defendant Sawah Eric Zeon who had earlier photographed/screen shot the June 7, 2024 Joint Ministry of Justice (MOJ), on September 5, 2024 compromised, NATIONAL SECURITY meeting minutes held and recorded at the leaked and or divulged the meeting minutes to Mr. Stanton Witherspoon, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Spoon Network by America (USA) phone number- plus 1(6090649-4206.
That defendant Sawah Eric Zeon knows or had reason to know that discussion emanating from Joint NATIONAL SECURITY meeting is strictly confidential and that only authorized person/s must be privileged to the verbal and written discussion which he is aware that Stanton Witherspoon is not one of the authorized persons/individuals.
That on Sunday, July 7, 2024, defendant Sawah Eric Zeon sent an SMS message to Mr. Diamond Slanger of Spoon Talk informing him that Mr. Stanton Witherspoon, CEO, Spoon Network gave him (Zeon) Diamond number to pick up money from him and have been calling him from yesterday.
That on July 7, 2024, defendant Sawah Eric Zeon received from Mr. Stanton Witherspoon through Diamond Slanger, the amount of One Hundred United States Dollars (US$100.00) which the investigation sees as token to have influence his decision to expose confidential and or issues of governance at the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) which defendant Sawah Eric Zeon manifested on September 5, 2024.
That, defendant Sawah Eric Zeon also used his black Techno Camon 18p cell phone bearing serial 812F-S-OP-231015V569 to communicate with Mr. Stanton Witherspoon.
That defendant Sawah Eric Zeon knowingly and intentionally reveals National defense information to Mr. Stanton Witherspoon who is not authorized to receive it; he violated a known duty to which he is subject as a public servant, as to custody, care or disposition of National defense information or as to reporting an unlawful removal and compromises the security of the NATIONAL SECURITY meeting minutes.
That defendant Sawah Eric Zeon purposely, knowingly and intentionally violated a duty imposed on him as a public servant, he discloses or makes known in any manner any confidential information which he has acquired as a public servant. “Confidential information” means information made available to the governmental assurance or confidence.