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Alert

Newspaper and its staff face libel lawsuit

(CEMESP/IFEX) - Former Agriculture Minister Dr. Christopher Toe has filed a US$2 million action of damages for libel against "FrontPage Africa" newspaper, its editor-in-chief Rodney Sieh and reporter Samwar Fallah. The lawsuit was filed before the sixth judiciary circuit law court in Monrovia on 24 February 2010.

The lawsuit cited several publications, dating back to 2007, accusing Dr. Toe among other allegations of diverting millions of dollars intended for Guthrie Rubber plantation and the people of Bong and Lofa counties who were affected by an infestation of army worms.

In the lawsuit, Dr. Toe further referred to the persistent and unrelenting publications of what he described as unsubstantiated and unfavorable assertions by "FrontPage Africa" over the years as a deliberate attack on his good character and reputation among his peers and friends and the public or the international community at large.

The paper's management has acknowledged receipt of the lawsuit. A local radio station in Monrovia quoted editor-in-chief Sieh as saying that they stand by the publications and are prepared to go to court.