—Threatens to Jail Journalist over secret occurrences in Koffa’s Removal
IPNEWS: Tuesday’s sitting of the House of Representatives sparked into a fury title of happenings that led to the removal of former speaker Koffa, others.
Upon noticing the presence of Journalist, House Speaker Richard Koon, issued a chilling warning threatening to jail any Reporter reporting on their fury tile of how former Speaker Koffa was removed.
Koon’s startling threat comes on the back of ongoing struggle for press freedom in Liberia, raising concerns among advocates and members of the media.
All this began following the called to order by Acting Sergeant-at-Arms, regardless of the lack of quorum which uphold every activity in the chambers legal.
Amazingly, as lawmakers engaged in their fury titles of discussions in the chambers, Speaker Koon shouted publicly threatening Legislative Reporters who dare to report on the fury titles of former Speaker Koffa’s removal.
The fury titles contained laughter of how monies were spent leaving the coffers of the House now empty. While Speaker Koon boastfully stated that ‘I told you all whether you go up or down, I was going to be speaker’.
Noticing the attention of Legislative journalist, Speaker Koon shouted ‘if any Legislative Reporter assigned to the House of Representatives takes information from these chambers, I will deal with you and we will jailed you!
Koon’s declaration stands in opposition to the Kamara A. Kamara Act of Press Freedom, which was enacted during former President George Mannah Weah’s administration.
The Kamara Abdullai Kamara (KAK) Act of Press Freedom, signed into law in Liberia in 2019, is a significant piece of legislation because it decriminalized certain speech offenses and helped move Liberia toward greater press freedom.
The Act amended Chapter 11 of the 1978 Penal Law by repealing criminal libel against the President, sedition, and criminal malevolence. This change ended the practice of prosecuting speech offenses in criminal court and shifted libel and slander offenses to civil court.
Prior to the KAK Act, journalists and political opponents in Liberia could be intimidated and punished through the threat of criminal prosecution for libel, sedition, and criminal malevolence. The law eliminated these criminal penalties, allowing for a more open and less punitive environment for free expression.
The Act aligns Liberia’s laws more closely with international and regional human rights standards, including those of the Table Mountain Declaration. By protecting free speech and an independent press, the law reinforces core tenets of democracy and accountability.
The law provides greater latitude for the media to practice responsible journalism without the threat of imprisonment. It encourages a vibrant media landscape that can hold government officials and powerful figures accountable for their actions.
With the Act, media-related offenses such as libel and slander are now handled in civil courts, where the focus is on civil redress rather than criminal punishment. This provides a legal mechanism for addressing reputational harm without using the criminal justice system to silence criticism.
The Act is named after the late Kamara Abdullai Kamara, a former President of the Press Union of Liberia, in recognition of his tireless work in advocating for press freedom and human rights.
The action by Speaker Koon reminds Liberia about the days of the Military Regime that enacted the famous decreed 88A
Decree 88A was an “Orwellian edict” enacted by the military government of the People’s Redemption Council (PRC), led by Master Sergeant Samuel K. Doe, in Liberia during the 1980s. The decree essentially abolished free expression by making it a felony to spread “rumors, lies and disinformation” about the government or its officials.
The People’s Redemption Council (PRC) military government, led by Samuel K. Doe.
It was passed on July 21, likely in 1984, to control political debate in the run-up to the scheduled elections.
To protect public officials and suppress any form of criticism or opposition to the government.
Accusing any executive, judicial authority, or other individual of a crime via word-of-mouth, writing, or public broadcast with the intent to injure their reputation or undermine their status.
Creating disharmony, spreading rumors, lies, and disinformation.
Undermining state security, causing civil strife, confusion, or labor unrest, or interfering with the electoral process.
The offense was classified as a felony of the First Degree, leading to immediate arrest and imprisonment without due process, and in some cases, a death sentence.
The decree was widely considered an enemy of press freedom and free speech, used to jail opposition figures, students, and journalists.
Decree 88A was later repealed by the Liberian Legislature in May 1998, a move which was then signed into law by President Charles Taylor. It is no longer an active law in Liberia. Modern Liberian law is governed by the 1986 Constitution, which is the supreme law and guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms, including free expression.
In February 2025, at the height of the removal of former Speaker Koffa, Speaker Koon while instructing state security to drill the handle of controversial Yekeh Kolubah’s car and remove it from the Speaker’s designated parking space, instructed security forces to assault journalists attempting to document his actions.
Koon assumed the role of Speaker after being elected through a white ballot by a faction of representatives who identify as the “Majority Bloc.” Despite a Supreme Court ruling declaring this group’s session as illegitimate, yet Koon continues to serve as Speaker, with strong support from President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
