In what is termed as a landmark and bold move, the Chief Judge of the Commercial Court of Liberia, Her Honor Eva Mappy Morgan, is demanding an apology, retraction and correction of “erroneous” reporting by FrontPage Africa, one of Liberia’s leading newspapers.
Cllr. Aloysius T. Jappah of the A.T. Jappah & Associates, Inc., acting on behalf of his client (Judge Mappy Morgan), contends that, in the realm of journalism, accuracy is paramount, and public trust hinges on the integrity of information disseminated through reputable news outlets, but unfortunately a recent article published by Frontpage Africa on September 18, 2024, titled “Liberia Leave the poor Pathologist alone and blame it on old-aged systemic failure”, failed to meet the required standard in its coverage of Chief Judge Eva Mappy Morgan’s professional record.
According to Cllr. Jappah, the article in question, erroneously reported that Judge Eva Mappy Morgan was suspended for one year without pay by the Judiciary Inquiry Commission (JIC) due to judicial misconduct, a claim that is categorically false and contradicts the final judgement of the Supreme Court of Liberia, which explicitly exonerated Judge Mappy Morgan from all accusations of judicial misconduct.
Cllr. Jappah further asserted that it is essential to clarify that the Judicial Inquiry Commission’s recommendation is not final until it is reviewed and approved by the Supreme Court of Liberia, and that, in this case, the Supreme Court’s judgement, which was rendered before Frontpage Africa’s September 18, 2024 publication, found that Judge Mappy Morgan did not violate any judicial cannons, statutes, or the act establishing the Commercial Court of Liberia. Further, the Supreme Court concluded that Judge Mappy Morgan should not face any reprimand, directly contradicting the misrepresentation in Frontpage Africa’s report.
The Supreme Court, as clarified by Cllr. Jappah, held: “It is the holding of this court that the Chief Judge Eva Mappy Morgan did not transgress the Judicial Cannons, statute or the act that created the Commercial Court of Liberia, hence should not be reprimanded as recommended by the Judiciary Inquiry Commission.”
This judgement, according to Cllr. Jappah, is clear, unambiguous, and directly refutes the claims made in the newspaper’s article, which by inaccurately reporting that Judge Mappy Morgan was suspended, has not only failed in its journalistic duty but has also caused significant harm to the judge’s reputation.
In highlighting the impact of the “erroneous” report, Cllr. Jappah emphasized that the consequences of this false reporting extend beyond personal reputational harm, noting that, when prominent judicial figures such as Chief Judge Mappy Morgan are wrongly accused of misconduct, it undermines public confidence in the Judiciary as a whole, which is particularly dangerous in a country like Liberia, where the Judiciary plays a critical role in upholding rule of law and ensuring justice for all citizens, and that the inaccurate portrayal of Judge Mappy Morgan as a figure engaged in unethical behavior risks damaging the credibility of the entire judicial system, eroding the public’s trust in its independence and integrity.
Given the severity of this “breach of journalistic standards”, Cllr. Aloysius T. Jappah, has formally written to Frontpage Africa on behalf of Judge Eva Mappy Morgan to demand the following corrective actions:
“Publication of an Apology: a formal and public apology acknowledging the inaccuracies of the September 18, 2024 article, along with a recognition of the harm caused to Judge Mappy Morgan’s reputation.
“Retraction of False Claims: a clear and unequivocal retraction of the erroneous statement that Judge Mappy Morgan was suspended for one year without pay. The retraction should also clarify that the Supreme Court of Liberia found no grounds for such a suspension.
“Correction of the Record: a new article correcting the misinformation, citing the accurate findings of the Supreme Court, and emphasizing that Judge Mappy Morgan was cleared of all allegations.
“Dismissal of Inaccurate Claims: a public clarification that the JIC’s recommendation was not upheld by the Supreme Court and, therefore, the claims based solely on the JIC’s recommendation without reflecting the Supreme Court’s final judgement are unfounded and misleading.”
Cllr. Jappah underscored that at the heart of this issue is the need for responsible journalism, emphasizing that while the role of the media is to hold public officials accountable, this responsibility must be exercised with diligence, fairness, and adherence to fact.
He contended further that, when errors are made, it is incumbent on news outlets to correct them swiftly and transparently. The demand for an apology, retraction, and correction, he added, is not only a matter of restoring Judge Eva Mappy Morgan’s personal and professional integrity but also of upholding the ethical standards of journalism in Liberia.
Cllr. Jappah underscored that Frontpage Africa now has an opportunity to rectify this error, demonstrate its commitment to accurate reporting, and contribute to the restoration of public trust in both the Judiciary and the media.
Failing to do so, he said, would not only perpetuate the harm done to Judge Mappy Morgan but could also result in legal consequences.
“We await the necessary corrective measures, and we are hopeful that Frontpage Africa will take swift action to remedy this situation in the interest of truth, justice, and journalistic integrity,” Cllr. Jappah concluded.