GANTA, Nimba – The Superintendent of Nimba County, Fong G. Zuagele, has blamed three media houses in Ganta for contributing to the recent violence. The mob violence led to the destruction of properties belonging to businessman Prince Howard and death of another person.

Radio Voice of Gompa, Hot FM Ganta, and Radio Kergheamahn are the community radio stations accused of inflaming the violence.

Zuagele levied the allegations against the media houses when he called for an impromptu meeting with managers of the three stations early this week in Ganta.

“I am disappointed with the role of the three stations here in Ganta, regarding the violence that took place here,” Zuagele said. “This entire chaos that occurred on Wednesday is the result of how your stations presented [the information] to the people, especially Radio Voice of Gompa and Hot FM.”

The superintendent made particular reference to the Voice of Gompa’s Speak Your Mind show and Radio Kerghemahn’s alleged live coverage of the demonstration.

The charred remains of Alvino Hotel, owned by Prince Howard. Photo: Arrington Ballah

Zuagele said shows that were conducted on the two stations mentioned above inflamed the violence. He added that if the media in Ganta and Nimba as a whole used the airwaves to broadcast negative messages, he would be left with no other alternative but to revoke community radio stations licenses. “This time, we are going to ensure that the criteria set for allowing one to operate a community radio station be complicated to obtain,” Zuagele said.

Zuagele also accused personnel of the media of being novices to their profession due to the lack of training provided its staff. He vowed to make it mandatory in the future for presenters to go through proper training and obtain an official license from the Government of Liberia.

Although Zuagele made these statements, his office does not issue licenses for community radio stations; rather, they are assigned by the Ministry of Information.

The superintendent has no legal authority to prevent the media from operating, although Zuagele has the option to report the incidence to the ministry if he believed the radio stations violated the law.

Additionally, in cases of ethical breach, Zuagele can report the issue to the Press Union of Liberia. All three radio stations are members of the Nimba Community Radio Association, which is a full member of the PUL.

Responding to the allegations made against the media institutions by the superintendent, the management of the three stations maintained that they had no part to play in the September 30 violence.

They added that the superintendent’s statement was a clever attempt at intimidating press freedom and preventing the press from conducting their regular, normal duties.

On the allegation of providing live coverage of the violence, Radio Kergheamahn’s management dismissed the claims. It said its reporters had found it impossible to do a live commentary of the incident the mob was not cooperative and attacked journalists at times. One of the reporters of the station, Samuel Collins, had his phone seized while he was taking photographs.

Voice of Gompa’s management also reported similar issues. Its news director, Augustine Dahn, was chased away as he attempted to photograph the mob in action.

Elsewhere, a freelance journalist, Arthur Trobeh, lost his camera, recorder, and phones. He also reported being flogged by the crowd when they noticed that he was taking photographs.

Other journalists, including the Director of Programs at Voice of Gompa, S. Kannay Ziamo, were forced to remain indoors for more than three hours after being caught in the midst of the violence.

During the early morning of September 30, members of the motorcycle union in Ganta took to the street to protest the killing of one of their colleagues, Nyah Domah. They set up roadblocks at all entrances to the city and set ablaze properties belong to businessman Prince Howard.

One of the suspects, Bill Lauriss, alleged that he and two others known only as “JT Money” and “Decent Boy,” were hired by Howard to provide him with a bottle of blood.

One of the suspects, “Decent Boy” was mobbed to death by the angry crowd during the rioting. The other suspects are currently being held by the Liberian National Police.

Featured photo by Cameron Zohoori