The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has released a damning report on the September 13, 2025, standoff in Sanniquellie between Information Minister Jerolinmek M. Piah, and journalist D. Franklin Doloquee.
Franklin reports and writes for OK FM and FrontPage Africa.
The PUL release sharply criticized both parties for “misconduct that undermined press freedom and journalistic integrity.”
The report, compiled by the Union Specialized Committee of Enquiry (SCE), was headed by veteran journalist Torwon Sulonteh-Brown. It findings was presented on September 29, 2025, at PUL Headquarters on 9th Street, Sinkor, outside Monrovia.
According to the findings, the dispute erupted after Franklin, who had agreed to conduct an audio-only interview, began secretly recording video.
Minister Piah responded by forcibly seizing the journalist’s phone, deleting footage himself, and instructing aides to permanently erase the files.
Franklin meanwhile, departed the scene without directly reclaiming his device, leaving a cloud of mistrust and confusion in the aftermath.
While the Committee found no physical assault, it ruled that Minister Piah’s tone and conduct amounted to coercion, and misuse of public office, citing clear violations of Article 15 of the Constitution on freedom of the press and Title 26, Chapter 12.70 of the Penal Law on abuse of authority.
The SCE, which did not spare the journalist, described Franklin’s decision to record video without consent as a ‘serious ethical breach.’
The action, the report said, directly violated Article 27 of the PUL Code of Ethics, which forbids journalists from gathering information by deceptive means.
The Committee’s criticism also extended to OK FM and FrontPage Africa, faulting both outlets for issuing public condemnations against Minister Piah without granting him a right of reply or consulting the Union before escalating the dispute.
Such conduct, PUL warned, violates Article 19 of the PUL Code of Conduct on fairness and balance.
In its recommendations, the PUL called for Journalists to strictly adhere to the Union Code of Ethics, especially during interviews; media institutions to consult the PUL before issuing condemnations against public officials; government officials to respect due process, and avoid unilateral, heavy-handed actions against journalists; the establishment of clear protocols to govern interactions between the media and government and disciplinary measures for journalists and outlets that disregard ethical standards.
Members of the Committee comprised Sulonteh-Brown, Attorney Bruce S. B. Boweh, and human rights advocate, Adama Kiatamba Dempster, concluded that the Sanniquellie incident exposed deep fractures between state power and press responsibility.
It urged stronger collaboration between the media and government, warning that repeated violations on both sides could erode public trust in Liberia’s fragile democracy.