Team Kanubah Welcomes SC Hearing -Wants Atty. Paivey, Others Avoid World Press Freedom Day Celebration

MONROVIA – As the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) celebrates World Press Freedom Day today with indoor programs at the Monrovia City Hall, the National Campaign Management Team of Julius Kanubah for the presidency of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has welcomed Tuesday’s hearing into its Bill of Information by the Full Bench of the Supreme Court, and sternly cautioned Attorney-at-Law Patmillia Doe Paivey, and the Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding of Mr. Malcolm Joseph to stay clear of the World Press Freedom Day celebrations under the auspices of the PUL expired leadership.

“Gracing any event organized by the expired leadership of national politicians Messrs. Charles Coffey and Musa Kenneh along with Daniel Nyakonah and Akoi Baysah is an affront to the December 15, 2022 Stay Order placed on all activities of the PUL former administration by the 9^th Judicial Circuit Court sitting in Gbarnga, Bong County.

“We would like to remind Atty. Patmillia Doe Paivey and the Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding of Mr. Malcolm Joseph that associating with individuals who are under a legal restraining order from conducting the affairs of the PUL amounts to aiding and abetting disrespect for the rule of law, which have consequences,” Team Kanubah stated in a press release issued Tuesday, May 2, 2023.

Team Kanubah further averred that the PUL expired leadership of Coffey, Nyakonah, Kenneh, and Baysah has continuously ignored the Judge’s Stay Order since December 2022 after failing to produce a credible Membership Register which is critical to the conduct of legitimate Congress and subsequent elections of the PUL.

Team Kanubah said it believes it is therefore shameful for individuals and organizations such as the Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding to be partnering with the expired leadership of the PUL which is on record for flagrantly violating the Union’s Constitution and conducting Mid-Night elections, thereby denying the rights of majority journalists and media practitioners to a credible and legitimate leadership.

It can be recalled that Team Kanubah filed the Bill of Information raising substantive legal and procedural issues in the wake of a December 30, 2022 Mandate by Associate Justice Joseph N. Nagbe.

Justice Nagbe, following a December Conference, had ordered Judge Boima Kontoe to lift the Stay Order placed on all PUL activities including the so-called induction of illegitimately elected officers.

“We believe today’s hearing by the Full Bench of the Supreme Court signals yet another legal path in pursuit of impartial justice, which Team Kanubah considers a must,” said Team Kanubah.

Tuesday’s hearing at the Supreme Court was presided over by Chief Justice Sie–A–Nyene Gyapay Yuoh with Associate Justice Yussif D. Kaba participating along with Associate Justice Jamesetta Howard Wolokollie, who participated via online.

Justice Nagbe, whose action necessitated the Team Kanubah Bill of Information, was in attendance but recused himself in line with legal practice.

Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay also recused himself because of a family relationship with Mr. Daniel Nyakonah, who is one of the defendants in Team Kanubah’s original Petition for Declaratory Judgment case against the now expired leadership of the PUL.

“The PUL expired leadership of Coffey, Nyakonah, Kenneh, and Baysah has continuously ignored the Judge’s Stay Order since December 2022 after failing to produce a credible Membership Register which is critical to the conduct of legitimate Congress and subsequent elections of the PUL,” stated the release signed by the Chairman of the National Campaign Team for Julius Kanubah for PUL president, Raymond K. Zarbay.