By Frank Sainworla, Jr. fsainworla@yahoo.com
One of Liberia’s leading newspapers and online media outlet, FrontpageAfrica has been sued at the Civil Law Court in Monrovia for “action of damages for wrong” by two Liberian citizens, Henry A.K. Morgan and Moses T. Konah in connection with recent publications.
A writ of attachment to the Sheriff from the Court says: “You are hereby commanded to place an attachment on the above mentioned respondents/defendant; property (ies), includingvehicle(ies), equipment and any other assets situated and lying and being in Montserrado County, RL and elsewhere in the Republic of Liberia, owned by the Respondent(s) (Defendant(s)of the above named captioned case for the respondent(s) Defendant(s) to satisfy the plaintiff’s request of US$350,000 (Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) and have same safely impounded, kept and/or locked.”
The Civil Law Court’s writ ordered that “the Sheriff of this Court will further further proceed to the premises of the respondent(s)/Defendant(s) and cause the properties, personal or real to be attached consistent with law and take possession and custody of same until otherwise ordered by this Court.”
The Complainants said their lawsuit grew out of a series of stories referencing an ANNOUNCEMENT published in the March 8, 12 and 16, 2018 editions of FPA “informing the general public not to do business with our client aforesaid in the name of the intestate Estate of the late Lawrence A. Morgan as Administrator.”
The announcement in question, which was also published in a number of other local newspapers, came from Henry V.L. Morgan, Edward A. Morgan and Gbein Morgan, who the writ referred to as first defendant.
FPA’s editors appeared on Monday in the Civil Law Court at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia with their lawyer, Cllr. Pearl Brown Bull and the news outlet is filing a surety bond ahead of the trial.
The Plaintiffs are being represented by the Law Offices of Weah and Associates on Ashmun Street in Monrovia.
Earlier on Monday, FPA reported on its website that its offices in Monrovia’s Sinkor suburb was locked and its staffers arrested.
“FrontpageAfrica’s staff and employees have been arrested. According to reports, the entire staff including reporters, cleaner and expediter were locked in the newspaper offices early this afternoon and subsequently taken from the building to the Civil Court in downtown Monrovia. More Details to Follow….”
The latest civil action for damages lawsuit against FrontpageAfrica comes in the wake of lambasting the paper’s Managing Editor/Publisher Rodney Sieh by some elements in the CDC-led government about a series of investigative and critical stories published.