The Ghanaian Embassy near Monrovia has for the first time spoken on the arrest and subsequent detention of its Public Relations Officer, Bill Jarkloh, who has been accused of rape.
Hi, oh! what a sad situation that I read of the allege involvevement of a friend and brother of the fourth estate in a rape saga. According to the Liberian law no one is condemned until, proven guilty, and if there is to be any legal proceedings against Bill, then let it happen with such being done in a court of competent jurisdiction. The fact of the matter should take it course at the temple of Justice and not in a place of injustice. Let all parties to the situation be heard and treated fairly and with the true coming from such situation. We are watching. Thanks, that a new leader Ellen Sirleaf with a vision of Liberians having a sense of democracy is going on in this land called Liberia.
John Mannah,
Chicago, IL USA
The arrest and detention of journalist Bill Jarkloh seems to be a classic example of the miscarriage of justice and the rule of law in post-war Liberia, since the girl had already testified in court that she had been raped by someone other than the journalist. I think the decision by the Chief Justice to arrest and detain him is intended solely as a scarecrow to frighten other journalists and to muffle the press as a whole. Bill is one of the most progressive and out-spoken journalist in contemporary Liberia.