The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Justice has dropped all charges against Talk Show Host, Henry Pedro Costa and have his seized communications equipment return to him in fulfillment to the promise made to him by President George Manneh Weah during a reconciliatory telephone chat both of them had during the course of the week.
According to a press release issued from the Office of the Solicitor General Cllr. Saymah Syrenius Cephas, the Government said said in line with the President’s olive branch of peace, all criminal charges including but not limited to any and all formal criminal investigations against Costa are hereby dropped and he is free, like any other Liberian citizen, to return home anytime he wishes.
The release reminded Mr. Costa that the seizure of his broadcast equipment through the appropriate court process was due his willful and deliberate violation of the constitutional freedom of expression, and therefore calls on him to use the presidential olive branch of peace to live and operate within confines of the law by upgrading the standards of his advocacy beyond the borders of recrimination and misinformation for the progressive development of the country.
In view of the foregoing according to the release, the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Cllr. Frank Musa Dean Jr., has mandated the Department of Prosecution to work with the court and ensure that Mr. Costa get back his broadcast equipment which was seized upon orders of the court based on an application made by the Liberian State.
The release however clarifies that the question of acquiring and operating a radio frequency, squarely lies within the operational provinces of other agencies of the Liberian government, which, as part of their own statutory rules, procedures and responsibilities have put in place the requisite requirements and processes on radio frequencies acquisitions and managements by individuals and institutions.
The release calls on other social commentators, and political advocates using various platforms to market their views to bear in mind the solemn policy of the government to reconcile and re-unite the people and develop the country for the good of all Liberians, and urged them to be more critical but responsible in holding to account public officials on issues rather than using their various platforms to sow seeds of discords and disunity to the detriment of state.
The release said the Ministry of Justice shall continue to exercise restraint and tolerance in dealing with the frank exchanges of views, ideas and objective criticisms by Liberian citizens but shall not compromise any egregious violation of the law by anyone, and has therefore indicated that it welcomes proficiency in developing new progressive ideas that will help to complement government national development agenda on their various information platforms but not proficiency in profanity, lies and vulgarity.
The release warned all and sundry that the Ministry of Justice will not sit idly by to allow anyone to hijack or swamp the democratic space with lies, invectives and misinformation for selfish reasons.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice has reiterated that the dissemination of obscene material is absolutely forbidden by law, and indicated that the ministry shall not hesitate to invite and question anyone, where necessary, charge and prosecute in open court anyone caught in the dissemination obscene material irrespective of his/her status.
Comments are closed.