United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL)

UNMIL Public Information Office Complete Media Summaries
29 September 2008

Reports from Rivergee County in south-eastern Liberia, say the bridge linking the county to Maryland County has collapsed. The bridge collapsed due to the over flooding of the Gee River caused by heavy down pull of rain. The County’s Superintendent Karku Sampson via telephone said the collapse of the bridge has prevented the movement of motorcycles and vehicles to Maryland County.
· He said the local authority of both counties are presently collaborating to ensured the speedily reconstruction of the bridge. “We are working with all stakeholders to ensure that the bridge is reconstructed in the next few weeks,” he maintained.
· Mr. Sampson also called on NGOs working in the counties to render them some technical supports in order to rehabilitate bridge which is the only major linked between the two counties. Recently, citizens of River gee and other users of the road leading to Maryland County complaint about bad conditions between the both counties.

Head of War Crimes Advocacy Group Arrested
(Heritage, The Monitor, The News, National Chronicle)

·The Chairman of the Forum for the Establishment of a War Crimes Court in Liberia, Mulbah Morlu has reported been arrested. The Opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) announced the arrest and detention of Mr. Morlu at a news conference on Sunday
·The party said state security picked up Morlu at about 6:00PM on Friday on Broad Street and that he has since been detained at the Headquarters of the National Security Agency (NSA) in Monrovia.
·Authorities of the NSA are yet to comment on the arrest. Mr. Gray expressed concern about the health of Morlu saying few minutes before his arrest he complained of being ill. According to him, this is the fifth time Morlu has been arrested by state security and the second time by the NSA. In previous arrest, he was taken to the police for questioning.

Container Truck Crushed Woman to Death in Monrovia
(The News, The Inquirer, The Monitor, Daily Observer, Public Agenda, National Chronicle, New Vision)

·The Daily Observer reports that thousands of grief-stricken people on Saturday, September 27, 2008 swamped the vicinity of Johnson Street-Slipway intersection when a 40-foot container abruptly fell from a trailer onto a nearby blue pick-up, subsequently crushing a woman to death.
·The Inquirer newspaper quoting eyewitnesses said the accident occurred when a truck with a container onboard from the Freeport of Monrovia and was on its way to central Monrovia to discharge goods, reportedly lost control and collided with a pick-up.
·The victim, whose name could not be immediately obtained, is believed to be a businesswoman who was said to be on her regular business routine when the accident occurred. Several individuals who thronged the accident site to catch a glimpse of the episode recommended to the government to thoroughly regulate the movement of container trucks and enforce safety rules and regulations.

Some Senators are poised to Re-instate Suspended Pro-Tempore Today
(The Inquirer, Daily Observer, Heritage, National Chronicle, The News, Plain Truth, New Vision, Liberian Express)

·The media reports that an agreement to reinstate suspended President Pro-temp, Isaac Nyenabo is expected to be announced by a group of Senators today. This followed a disagreement on the deferral of the re-instatement of Senator Nyenabo after a ruling by Chamber Justice Jamesetta Wolokollie.
·Acting Senate President Pro-tempore, Lahai Lassanah said the re-instatement order by Justice Wolokollie would be discussed next year but some key members of the Senate announced on Friday that the Supreme Court’s ruling will be enforced today. The Senator met on Friday but could not announce the reinstatement of Nyenabo due to the absence of Lahai Lassanah.
·It was gathered that Mr. Nyenabo would be asked to resign immediately following his re-instatement to end the leadership crisis at the Senate. The Daily Observer reports that credible information suggests that the United States Congress has threatened to impose travel restrictions on some members of the Liberian Senate for their failure to adhere to a Supreme Court of Liberia ruling ordering the Senate to reinstate the suspended Senate Pro-Tempore.

Chinese Company Launches New Malaria Drug …Government Pledges Support
(Heritage, The Inquirer, Daily Observer)
·A new drug set to combat malaria has been launched in the country. The anti-malaria drug called ARCO was launched by a Chinese company, Kunming Pharmaceutical Corporation, at the weekend.
·The Inquirer reports that the launch coincided with the donation of a consignment of the drugs to government.
·ARCO is a new generation of highly efficacious oral fixed does of ACT based combination therapy. Receiving the drugs, the Chief Medical Officer of Liberia, Dr. Bernice Dahn lauded the Chinese group for the donation and said the issue of malaria is very critical to government. She pledged government support to the initiative.
·Earlier, the Vice President of the Company, Dong Shaoyu said the medicine is very effective in treating malaria.

Judge Denies Motion to Overturn Ruling in Blah vs. Urey Case
(The Inquirer)

·The Civil Law Court of Montserrado County has denied motion to overturn its previous judgment on an earlier Motion to Dismiss a Motion for Summary Judgment in the case ‘Urey vs Blah.’
· In Judge Yussif Kaba’s ruling last week to both parties present in court, he said that the respondent’s request was denied because the court sees no justification to disturb the ruling which this motion is seeking the court to rescind. He said that because the respondent in said case was the same that filed for the motion to dismiss and subsequently filed for a summary judgment, it was the same respondent that elected to have heard the summary judgment. And according to him, the same could not be denied but it was noticed that similar and identical issues raised in one motion was in the same.

In Margibi Murder Trial, State Lawyers Want Judge Step Aside
(Heritage, Public Agenda, Plain Truth)

· State Lawyers in the suspended murder trial involving Margibi Senator, Roland Kaine have asked the Judge of Criminal Court “B” to step aside from all proceedings in the case because he is believed to be biased. The Heritage reports that the State’s request for Judge Korboi Nuta to step aside from the case comes against the backdrop of the Judge’s recent decision to grant an application filed by the defense which was intended to admit the detained Senator to bail.
· According to them, this will serve the interest and purpose of transparent justice and integrity of the proceeding. In a five-count motion filed over the weekend, State Lawyers argued that they would not receive a fair determination of the case as the Judge has already determine that that the State has no convincing evidence against co-defendant Kaine before hearing the case.

Back To School Parade to Kick Off YMCA Membership and Fund Drive
(Daily Observer, The Inquirer)

·A Back-to-School Parade involving some 60 schools in the greater Monrovia area is scheduled to take place this Friday, October 3, 2008, to mark the commencement of the 44th Membership Campaign and Fund Drive of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) of Liberia. The YMCA was founded in Harper, Cape Palmas in 1881. For over a century the organization has striven to cater to the needs of young people. The theme of this year membership campaign and fund drive is “Inspiring Young People and Communities for Transformation and Self Fulfillment”. It targets 10,000 members and US$100.000. The aim is to recruit members in all 15 counties so that the Y may extend its activities throughout the country.

Radio Summary
Star Radio (News monitored today at 10:00 am)
Group of Senators determined to Re-instate leader
(Also reported on Truth F.M. and ELBC)

Liberian Security arrest Advocate of War Crimes Court
(Also reported on Truth F.M. and ELBC)

Labour nullifies Motorcycle Union's Certificate
·A Ministry of Labour release issued in Monrovia has nullified the operational certificate of the Liberia Motorcycle Union, describing it as a self-styled.
·The Ministry said the certificate in the possession of the union’s leadership was issued by unauthorized personnel saying it has never approved any certificate to such a union.
·The statement said the proposed leadership of the motorcycle union was advised to re-file its documents to certify the criteria for legitimate certification but this has not happened.
·The ministry said the action contravenes provisions of the Labour Practices Law of Liberia, which call for all criteria to be met for granting of certificate.

Juror attacked in Buchanan - in Critical Condition
·A juror serving on the August Term at the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court, Mr. Leroy Zeegar has been attacked by some unknown men in Grand Bassa County.
·Leroy explained that the men entered his house in the Pipeline Community Friday at about 3:00 AM and chopped him all over his body and left him unconscious.
· There has been no arrest so far in connection with the act and the cause of the attack has not been officially established.
However, Leroy was a member of a jury that brought down a guilty verdict for murder against one Judoe Memei last week Wednesday.

Truth F.M. (News monitored today at 9:00 am)
Chinese Company Donates Malaria Drugs to Liberia

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The media summaries and press clips do not necessarily represent the views of UNMIL.