MONROVIA – A Specialized Committee of Enquiry (SCE) set up by the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has concluded that Information Minister Jerolinmek Matthew Piah acted illegally and beyond his authority when he seized and deleted content from journalist D. Franklin Doloquee’s mobile phone during an interview in Nimba County.
The incident occurred on Saturday, September 13, 2025, in Sanniquellie during a Government of Liberia town hall forum organized by the Liberia Media Democratic Institute (LMDI). According to the committee’s report released on September 26, 2025, journalist Doloquee and colleague Jeremiah Gayflor requested to interview Minister Piah after the event. The minister agreed and instructed them to meet him later at the Superintendent’s residence for the interview.
The investigation found that it was agreed the interview would be audio-only. However, during the session between 7:00 and 8:00 p.m., Minister Piah noticed that Doloquee was video recording without prior approval. He immediately stopped the interview, demanded the journalist’s phone, and proceeded to delete the videos and photos himself, later instructing others to clear the recycle bin. Doloquee reportedly left the scene without his phone, which was later returned through Gayflor.
While the committee found no evidence of physical assault, it noted that the minister’s tone was intimidating, amounting to coercion. The committee ruled that the minister had several legal and institutional options available to address the journalist’s ethical breach, such as reporting the matter to the PUL, lodging a complaint with the journalist’s employers, or seeking legal recourse. Instead, his actions were deemed illegal and a violation of Article 15 of the Liberian Constitution, which protects press freedom, and Chapter 12.70 of the Penal Law, which prohibits misuse of public office.
“The minister’s actions in seizing the phone, deleting and demanding deletion of unauthorized content were inappropriate and exceeded his authority,” the report stated. “The consent of the journalist was obtained under duress, and in legal and ethical contexts, such consent is often illegitimate.”
The committee also found that journalist Doloquee breached journalistic ethics by secretly recording video despite agreeing to an audio-only interview. This, it said, violated the PUL’s Code of Ethics, particularly Article 27, which requires journalists to obtain information and images only through straightforward means.
Furthermore, media outlets OK FM and FrontPageAfrica were faulted for issuing public statements and publishing stories condemning the minister without consulting the PUL or offering him the right to reply. The committee described this as “bad journalism” and a breach of Article 19 of the PUL Code of Conduct.
The enquiry panel concluded that both Minister Piah and the journalist’s employers failed to follow proper protocols, highlighting the need for clearer guidelines governing interactions between government officials and journalists to avoid future conflicts.
Among its recommendations, the committee urged the PUL to reinforce adherence to the Code of Ethics, encourage media houses to seek PUL intervention before releasing public statements in disputes, and promote joint trainings between government and media institutions. It also recommended that the PUL take proportionate disciplinary action against journalists who violate its ethical standards to strengthen public trust.
The Specialized Committee of Enquiry was chaired by veteran journalist and media development specialist Torwon Sulonteh-Brown, with attorney Bruce S. B. Boweh, Sr., and human rights advocate Adama Kiatamba Dempster serving as members.
