By By The People News Online
Monrovia, Liberia – The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has delivered a decisive report on the standoff between Information Minister Jerolinmek Matthew Piah and journalist Franklin Doloquee, declaring that the Minister abused his office when he confiscated and tampered with a reporter’s phone.
The incident unfolded in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, on September 13 during a government town hall forum. According to findings, Minister Piah halted an interview, seized Doloquee’s device, and ordered the deletion of images and a video. The committee described the action as a misuse of power that undermines press freedom.
The investigation was conducted by the PUL’s Specialized Committee of Enquiry (SCE), chaired by seasoned journalist and media development expert Madam Torwon Sulonteh Brown. Presenting the report in Monrovia, she remarked: “No official has the right to seize and erase a journalist’s work. That is an unlawful act and a clear press freedom violation.”
The committee confirmed that Doloquee and fellow journalist Jeremiah Gayflor had requested an interview with Minister Piah. The Minister agreed, instructing them to wait at the superintendent’s residence, where an audio-only interview was to be conducted.
However, during the interview, Piah discovered that Doloquee was secretly recording video, contrary to their agreement. He interrupted the session, confronted the journalist, and demanded the phone. Doloquee first denied, then admitted to filming.
“Yes, the journalist broke protocol by switching from audio to video without permission,” Madam Brown acknowledged. “But such an ethical lapse did not grant the Minister authority to seize private property or erase content.”
Witness accounts strengthened the committee’s conclusions. Gayflor and others present confirmed that the Minister deleted the video himself and instructed Deputy Minister Daniel Sando to help remove files from the recycle bin. Doloquee later left without his phone, heightening the controversy.
Although no physical assault occurred, the committee said the exchange was marked by coercion. “The journalist’s so-called consent was obtained through intimidation,” the report stated. “Under legal standards, such consent cannot be considered valid.”
The report did not spare the media. It noted that outlets such as OK FM and FrontPage Africa rushed to condemn Piah without consulting the PUL or seeking his version of events. “Publishing one-sided stories is poor journalism and contravenes the Union’s own Code of Conduct,” Madam Brown read.
The SCE stressed that both sides neglected existing protocols. “The Minister should have turned to the Union or pursued legal remedies. Journalists, for their part, should have sought the Union’s intervention before making the issue public,” Brown explained.
The committee argued that the clash highlighted the absence of a clear framework governing relations between state officials and the media. “Liberia needs proper guidelines to manage such interactions, to prevent abuse of authority and ensure accountability,” the report recommended.
Among its proposals, the panel urged the PUL to strengthen enforcement of its Code of Ethics, impose disciplinary measures on members who flout it, and encourage regular joint trainings with government institutions.
It also called on media houses to avoid publishing disputes without verification or right of reply, except in situations of immediate public urgency. Government officials, the report added, must likewise respect press freedoms and pursue lawful channels when disagreements arise.
“Accountability is a two-way street,” Madam Brown warned. “Journalists must maintain professionalism, while government officials must refrain from intimidation.”
The report closed with a stern reminder that neither side is above scrutiny. “Both the media and public authorities are bound by law and ethics. Respecting these principles is the only way to safeguard Liberia’s democracy,” the committee concluded.
By releasing this report, the PUL has drawn a firm line: ethical violations by journalists are unacceptable, but state power cannot be used to silence or intimidate the press.
