| Sieh is escorted by Liberian security men |
By ralph geeplay
Lawyers representing Frontpageafrica Editor Rodney Sieh
have secured his release for 30 days in the Liberian capital of Monrovia. The lawyers
contended that Sieh's imprisonment violated various provisions of the Liberian
constitution of 1986, including the prohibition against debt bondage in Article
12, the Equal Protection Clause of Article 11, the due process clause of
Article 20, and the directive against extreme punishment in Article 21. Kwame
Clement [Pro bono] a former Liberian journalist
and broadcaster in collaboration with Musa Dean and Samuel Kofi woods are
leading the charge to see Sieh release.
Reports say former Agriculture Minister Chris Toe sought an apology
from the editor, but Sieh refused on grounds that his reports implicating the
former minister to related corruption charges were correct. About a month ago lawyers
representing Sieh filed a petition at the Temple of Justice which housed the
Liberian Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of his incarceration
under Section 44.71 of the Liberian Civil Procedure Law and demanding his instant
freedom.
A former Works Minister and known Liberian human rights
lawyer Samuel Kofi Woods, who is one of Sieh's lawyers, said the release is
consistent with Liberian law.
According to reports Sieh was released from prison by Liberia’s
Attorney General Christina Tarr. Sources also say President Sirleaf who just
returned to Liberia after a lengthy foreign travel which took her to Toronto Canada,
the United Nations General Assembly and Costa Rica, heard an earful during the
trip about the journalist imprisonment. Sirleaf wrote two separate articles in
the Toronto’s Globe and Mail and the Washington Times to refute allegations
and international condemnations that her government was strangling the Liberian
press in the Western African country which she leads. Sirleaf is a 2011 Noble
peace price recipient.
Sieh was jailed on August 21st after he was unable to pay
a US $1.6 million libel judgment to former Agriculture Minister J. Chris Toe.
Sieh claimed jurors were bribed with two of them admitting to receiving fees
and that Philip Banks, an Associate Justice of the Supreme court who wrote the
opinion that held him liable for libel should have recused himself from the
bench, given that the law firm representing Toe is part owned by his family.
Woods, Sieh’s Lawyer, said the Attorney General granted
the provisional discharge under one condition, that the FPA editor will remain
in Liberia and to request permission from the “assistant Minister of Justice
for Rehabilitation, under whose office the prison is being supervised according
to the VOA.
"This is what is referred to as compassionate leave.
It is provided for under Section 34.20 of our criminal procedure law under
which the Attorney General, who is the Minister of Justice, could exercise an
authority to grant leave to a prisoner for certain reasons," said Cllr.
Woods.
Woods said the lawyers demanded the provisional discharge
due to Sieh's health condition, which has worsened no two separate occasions.
"We did indicate that there has been persistent
illness of Rodney Sieh, and also we have been engaged in a particular dialogue
and substantial progress has been made. And, therefore, it would be a good
thing to allow Rodney out (of jail) while we continue this process," Woods
said.
Sieh was admitted to the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Hospital
late August suffering from an undisclosed illness, which media reports has said
was malaria. Liberian prisons are notoriously understaff and services non-conforming
with international standards, the Liberian government has done little according
to prison advocates to improve prisons conditions in the country, according to
prison advocates.
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