PUL intervenes, and the court releases two journalists after they spent three nights in detention.

Monrovia, Liberia: The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) is pleased to announce the release of journalists Elvis Gono and Philip Gbana. They were detained for three nights at Kakata Central Prison. Their release occurred in the early hours of Thursday, February 13, following significant intervention by the PUL.

Judge Golda A. Bona Elliott of the 13th Judicial Circuit Court ordered the detention of the journalists on February 10, 2025, on charges of "Contempt of Court." This action followed a request from Margibi County Attorney Deddeh Wilson, who stated that the journalists had failed to present a crime suspect to the Court for whom they had acted as guarantors since September 2025.

The PUL intervened after the crime suspect was handed over to the Court and remanded at the Kakata Central Prison. Upon their release, both Gono, from the Liberia Broadcasting System, and Gbana, from Classic FM, expressed relief but raised serious concerns about the validity of their detention. They characterized the incident as an abuse of judicial power, noting they were never formally contacted to produce the suspect.

“We were taken into custody while covering the opening of the February Term of Court,” stated Gono and Gbana. “This situation raises significant questions about the misuse of authority by judicial officials.”

In light of the conflicting accounts between the journalists and the county judicial officials, the PUL has called for an independent investigation to clarify the circumstances surrounding the detention. The Union emphasizes the necessity of a thorough inquiry to determine whether County Attorney Wilson and Public Defender Cllr. Alfred B. Holmes abused public power, or the journalists acted unlawfully.

The PUL strongly advocates for collaboration and mutual respect between the media and the judiciary, stressing the vital importance of professionalism in serving the public interest.

Edited, E. Geedahgar Garsuah, Sr.