The attention of the National Civil Society Union of Liberia (NACSUL) has been drawn to the Friday, June 10, 2021 edition of Hot Morning-Live in which the host of the show Patrick Eastman accused the Liberian Vice President Chief, Dr. Jewel Howard Taylor of shielding an alleged rape perpetrator, Magistrate Richard Flomo in Bong Mine, Lower Bong County.
Talkshow host Eastman also claimed that the Vice President provided money for the release on bill of Magistrate Richard Flomo who he claimed to be a cousin to the Vice President while the rape victim goes through the trauma.
NACSUL being a champion and an anti-rape campaigner took keen interest in the revelations by the local talk-show host and immediately dispatched a facts-finding team in the County to independently verify the information being released in Monrovia.
Following the facts-finding mission in Bong Mine, Lower Bong County, and NACSUL realized that from all indications, the Liberian Vice President Chief, Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor was never involved with the Court proceedings as it is far above her jurisdiction.
NACSUL also said it understood that the Hot FM Journalist, prior to maligning the character and hard-earned reputation of this astute Stateswoman, contacted the Liberian Vice President on the allegations levied against her and these were the exact words or replies from the Vice President.
“Thank you for asking me. I hope what I will say to you, you will believe it. As an advocate and Female role model, I am a spokesperson for victims of sexual and gender based violence. As a lawyer, I have and will never try to thwart the law. I hope my records of over 25 years will speak to who I am.
Vice President Taylor also told the talk show host that Magistrate Flomo is an adult and a judicial officer who should be contacted on the surrounding case. I have no information and have never interfered in such a case. “It may be in the interest of good journalism to go to the 13th Judicial Circuit Court and get the facts. I am sure they will be given to you. Please do not drag me into this issue, I am not involved in anyway,” the Vice President further disabused the minds of the talk show host
NACSUL believes that with this clarification provided by this illustrious and female rights advocate, Madam Jewel Howard-Taylor should have laid the entire matter to rest.
The group however said on the contrary, talk show host Eastman chose to denigrate and malign the well- respected and humble character of Vice President Howard-Taylor both nationally and internationally either for selfish motive or just to bring the Honorable office of the Vice President to disrepute.
NACSUL sees the deliberate action by the Hot radio talk show host to have provided falsehood to the people in Liberia and the Diaspora in an attempt to divert public opinions against the Honorable Vice President as not only an embarrassment to the Journalism profession but as well as disingenuous on his part as a media practitioner.
For the record, NACSUL as a national Civil Society Organization in Liberia has over the past decades been working with the Liberian Vice President on several fronts even before her ascendancy to the Vice Presidency, especially in advocating for the rights of people with disabilities, sexual and Gender based violence, rape of women and girls cannot and will never be the one to shield an alleged rape perpetrator who is even more knowledgeable of the law of Liberia.
NACSUL in a statement through its President Mr. Amos B.S Kanneh said Chief, Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor is a female role model not only in Liberia but at the international level where other women on the African continent admired her works and desired to pursuit the legacy of this astute female champion and a gift to the Motherland, Liberia.
In the Press statement, the National Civil Society Union of Liberia (NACSUL) President said instead of Liberians especially media practitioners maligning the character of this Visionary leader, Liberians should rather be celebrating her for her enormous achievements during her many years in the public sector particularly at the Liberian Senate.
As you may be aware, Madam Taylor was a well-respected Senator and a floor fighter during her time as a Senator where she proffered/sponsored several bills at the Liberian Senate and those bills were passed into law without hesitation from her colleagues due to the values and positive impacts of those instruments on the lives of the ordinary people.
NACSUL called on talk show host Patrick Eastman to rather divert his youthful energy to promoting national developmental issues that will bring sense to the discourse and attract development to the country.
NACSUL warns Eastman to desist from using his energy and platform only to besmear the well-respected, educated, competent, highly experienced and humble Stateswoman who is working daily alongside her boss President George Manneh Weah both in and out of Liberia to ensure improved living conditions for the Liberian people.
Finally, the National Civil Society Union of Liberia (NACSUL) is calling on the Vice President of the Republic of Liberia not to give credence to the baseless and unfounded accusation levied against her by Patrick Eastman which is only intended to distract her but should continue to champion the cause of Liberians especially the vulnerable women, people with disabilities, girls and children who do not have hope in the society.
NACSUL reaffirms its commitment to the office of the Liberian Vice President in its advocacy and the fight against sexual and Gender based violence against women, girls, and children in Liberia and the world at large, the release signed by the group’s President Mr. Amos B.S Kanneh concluded.
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