Witnessing The Beginning Of History: Ambrose Nmah Vs. Public Agenda, Et Al

Liberia 's annals are stuffed with scores of remarkable and extraordinary accomplishments attained by individuals and the state as a whole. Recorded in the trail of the country's history is not only that Liberia is the first African state to elect and to have a female president, but also it is the first country in the world to have a soccer player, George Weah wining virtually all of the best accolades enshrined in soccer history: African Player of the Year,Europen Best and World Best.

History is still incessantly budding perennially in all spheres of Liberia , even among those who gather the raw material of history, the media, as is being epitomized by the action of the Director General of Truth FM, Ambrose Nmah and his Renaissance Communication Incorporated (RCI). Ambrose, a journalist and his the media institution, suing nearly a dozen journalists last October for libel per se, claming US$10,000 and US$200,000.00 respectively for general damages.

The PUL recognizes the rarity of the case prompting its issuance of a statement in which it states that is challenged by the Ambrose Nmah onslaught because never before in its defense for media rights and free speech has a journalist taken another colleague to court. The Union unreservedly called on all journalists in the country to turn out en mass at the Civil Law Court on December 17, 2007 in solidarity and fraternity with the sued journalists. PUL noted that it was compelled to support the journalists because Ambrose failed to respect the mediation effort of the Union .

The PUL opinion is not a misstatement because a thorough research shows that his somewhat landmark case is first to be catalogued in the judicial records and history of Liberia .

While some analysts may call the incident healthy for judicial precedence, there are however stern and unequivocal condemnations about the complainant's suit not merely because it originates from a fellow journalist but also and mainly because it is an open secret that the poor chap is fighting a proxy war for the new political elites at the detriment of innocent people. More besides, condemnations have come because the complainant was the initial aggressor and progenitor of the feud to which the defendants simply rose responsibly and civilly.

Targets of the misguided lawsuit include Public Agenda Newspaper in separate but related instant, and seven journalists: Gibson Jerue of Public Agenda, Star Radio Editor-in-Chief, Gevon Smith; the News Newspaper editor, Sheriff Adams; Parrot Managing Editor Robert Kpadeh; Independent Managing Editor Sam Dean and Plain Truth Publisher, Attorney Syrenius Cephus and former PUL Secretary General Alphonsus Zeon.

It can be recalled a couple of months ago, Ambrose said on his morning program that journalists who had gone to cover the visit of Sierra Leonean President, Ernest Bai Koroma, would have caused their own death had state securities shot and killed them for what he referred to as “breach of protocol” during the visit at the Robert International Airport (RIA). But the disc jockey is known, if not notorious, for soliciting ruthless action of state operatives against peaceful citizens, and badmouthing other journalists and eminent persons he regards opposed to the standing government. But the immediate cause of the journalists' reaction his statement relative to the RIA fiasco; fiasco because the hateful journalist's will was not done.

Apparently, Ambrose's statement agitated the journalists, who along with other Liberian journalists who have long stood the tumultuous test of time, sacrificing tears, sweat and blood during various despotic regimes, while Ambrose was snoring in the comfort of cowardice in exile.

In alliance, journalists, with one accord, issued a position statement calling on the PUL to probe the RCI Director General for commenting on his radio inciting and justifying potential attacks by state security personnel on BBC correspondent Jonathan Paye Layleh and some other journalists.

As for the lawsuit against Public Agenda by Ambrose, he claims that the paper unkindly published a complaint filed to the PUL by Jonathan Paye Layleh against him, which harmed his character and reputation. Ambrose then declared war on Public Agenda following the publication of the complaint. His used his Breakfast Show to rain disparaging insults at editors of the paper and vowed to sustain his attack until the paper was rendered useless. It is still a mystery while the self-proclaimed fierce warrior withdrew from the frontline and hurriedly cowered to court.

And so the lawsuit which was scheduled for December 17 did not take place. This was a disappointment for the defendants as well as well wishers, human rights activists and other observers who thronged the Civil Law Court .

“This is not appropriate beginning of the case,” Sam O.Dean Publisher of The Independent Newspaper who was properly dressed in tuxedo coat expressed his discontentment, adding, “we got legal instrument last October for its December term of court today, we should not have been told to be at court for hearing into the case today.”

Though the case was not included on the docket, what was interesting about this occasion is the level of attendance, most especially from media executives, including the Vice President and Secretary General of PUL Nathan Bengu and Peter Quaqua.

Lawyer representing the defendants, Atty.Adolphus Karnuah was present radiating with smiles and warring instincts as he was embraced one at a time by nearly all of the journalists. Attorney Syrenius Cephus, a party to the suit told the huge turn out that three other lawyers have volunteered to render legal service to the defendants on a pro bono basis. He then showed two of them who blissfully told the audience in the court hall that they were passionately driven by the manner and form in which the sued journalists were using the various institutions to contribute meaningfully to safeguarding the nascent democracy and that they will defend their cause tooth and nail.

Judge Yusuf Kaba of Civil Law Court jokingly remarked in court that his court was invaded by journalists. He then said lawyers representing parties litigants in the case with Ambrose vs. Public Agenda, et al must come to the court to pray for assignment for the case following the opening of the December term of court. Complainant was not in court.

Speaking at the opening, Judge Kaba used the event to call on jurors to be free of biases and corruption. During the voir dire exercise for his term of court, he cautioned jurors to also see themselves as judges in attaining the end of justice without fear and favor. Jurors' compensation has now increased to US$200.00 per term as compared to less than US$20. It is reported that because of such increment, some court officials are doing everything possible to include their relatives or friends on the jury while other jurors do not see their services as a noble call to duties, but rather a money making venture through which they lobby each court term to always be included in the selection.

The Judge spoke sternly against lawyers who always show lackadaisical attitudes towards there clients. He said there are many cases that were not adjudicated because of lawyers' reluctance to come to court to plead for their clients. “Lawyers are paid to represent their clients and it is unfair to allow their clients to suffer such consequences,” Judge Kaba asserted.