The Liberian Ministry of Information has promised to investigate threats made against popular talk show host T-Max Jlateh and other journalists who are critical of President George Weah and his government.
Liberian journalist and longtime radio talk show host T-Max Jlateh is alarmed that there exists a plot by high level officials to assassinate journalists.
Jlateh who hosts the popular radio Talk show “50 50” on Sky FM alleged the ploy is targeted at assassinating him, another popular radio talk show host, Henry Costa, and others.
Mr Jlateh told reporters in Monrovia he has received strange phone calls in which unknown individuals have admitted he is in line for assassination due to his critical stance on the government and by extension, the potential of the critical nature of his radio talk show to damage the image of the CDC led [Congress for Democratic Change] government of President George Weah.
“We criticized President Sirleaf for twelve years and not a single day anyone targeted us, what is this happening in such a manner,” the journalist told reporters.
He accused the government of being “thin-skinned” to the extend that people in the circle of leadership hate being criticized.
On April 4, 2019, the Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Information issued a statement saying it “is very concerned over claims made by Radio Talk-Show host/journalist, T-Max Jlateh, that there exists a plot by some unnamed individuals in the country to assassinate journalists”.
The government said it considers such an allegation grave enough to warrant a speedy investigation.
“The government intends to work with the Press Union of Liberia and the journalism community on this alarming issue in order to get to the bottom of it. There’s no place for such intimidation and violence in the new Liberia”.
The Liberian government has called on journalist Jlateh to cooperate with the relevant government agencies and adduce all information available to assist in the investigation.
Journalist T-Max Jlateh, FrontpageAfrica’s Rodney Sieh and Voice FM’s Henry Costa have been critical of the George Weah government.
Meanwhile the Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding has condemned the alleged threat on the lives of prominent Liberian journalists.
CEMESP’s Executive Director Malcolm Joseph therefore calls on the Liberian National Police to speedily trace the caller ID and promptly bring to justice the individual or individuals involved.
