Newspaper Faces Six Months Suspension for Publishing Pornographic Photos of Knuckles

The publication of pornographic photos in a local weekly regarding Liberia's Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Willis Knuckles' sex scandal, has created concerns among both the public and the Liberian parliament, describing the publication as a complete "trash" urging the Ministry of Information to deal with such issue.
The issue of pornographic photos came on the floor yesterday when members of the Senate Standing Committee on Information quizzed Minister of Information, Culture Affairs & Tourism designate, Dr. Lawrence Bropleh for his confirmation.
For his part, the Information Minister designate in response to the lawmaker question vowed to deal with the media institution that published these pornographic photos, adding, " we are working with the Press Union of Liberia to have The Independent Newspaper (the paper that published these photos) suspended for six months," Dr. Bropleh told the lawmakers.
Dr. Bropleh speaking in an affirmative tone, said following his confirmation by the Liberian Senate, he will do everything possible alone with the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) to have the paper suspended for six month, adding, “this will serve as deterrent for others,” the learned Minister of Information designate told the Liberian lawmakers in Virginia, outside the capital during the hearing.
He said since the publication of these pornographic photos by the Independent Newspaper was made yesterday, he has received several calls from the public on the issue, “adding, “we will not allow this to happen if confirmed as Minister of Information, Culture Affairs & Tourism of this Country,” Minister Bropleh stressed.

As Guinea Crisis Intensify Liberia, Sierra Leone Plans Proactive Mediation Role to End Crisis

3 Regional Leaders(Kabbah, Conte and Sirleaf)

Confirmed sources from both the Executive Mansion in Liberia and State House in Freetown, indicate that Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Sierra Leone’s President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah both are planning a very proactive mediation role in the ongoing crisis in Guinea.

According to the GNN Freetown Correspondent, already, a Special Envoy sent by President Conte met with President Kabbah yesterday for over three hours following which the Envoy went back to Guinea with a Special Message for President Conte.
It can be recalled that there have been clarion calls for the Mano River Union Leaders to get more involved in resolving the civil crisis in Guinea. The Mano River Union is a grouping of the Three countries through which the Mano River runs, namely Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
The Mano River Women’s Peace Network (MARWOPNET) on January 24th this year expressed deep concern over what they considered as "the deteriorating situation in the Republic of Guinea" and which they noted has resulted in a, "reported loss of civilian lives and increasing hardship among the general populace" and which are causes of "grave anxiety across the Mano River Union and the world over" MARWOPNET has expressed fears that "the continuing explosive situation in Guinea", if not immediately addressed could spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone" thereby, "destabilizing the fragile peace and recovery processes". MARWOPNET had therefore called on Presidents Tejan Kabbah and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to intervene directly in the impasse between the antagonizing parties so as to facilitate a start of negotiations.
The Sierra Leone Labour Congress in a Release issued last week also called on the governments of Sierra Leone and Liberia to, "quickly intervene in order to stabilise the situation" whilst expressing concern that a spill over effect of the situation in Guinea would affect the Mano River countries and the West Africa sub region in general.
In an editorial published last Friday, one of Liberia's leading newspaper's the Daily Observer stated, "Currently the country of Guinea is under strict curfew and the military has powers to take any measures deemed necessary to maintain law and order. So fine, so good. But what happens when martial law is lifted and the people discover that nothing else has changed? We strongly suggest that beneath this canopy of uneasy calm, the President together with all the stakeholders- the Political parties, the Trade Unions, the youth groups, the market women should meet and begin to talk and work out a future for their country. Perhaps, it is important and opportune for the MANO River Union to come forward with such a suggestion; for while we welcome the condemnation made by the AU, what would be more helpful and welcome now is offering a solution for a way forward."
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf returned from the United States of America yesterday Sunday February 18th after a successful trip to attend a Donor Conference which saw the United States Government and the federal Republic of Germany wiping out Liberia’s $391 Million and $235 million respectively owed them. Additionally, the American Government pledged another 500 million dollars towards the development of Liberia whilst black Americans led by the first African American billionaire, Robert L. Johnson, pledged to create an advocacy group to help restore and reconstruct Liberia in the same way American Jews have always lobbied to come to the aid of Israel whenever that country is in trouble.
Johnson Sirleaf therefore returned late last evening to Liberia in triumph to a country where the streets were lined with women, students, the young and the aged who loudly cheered as the popular leader drove by along the route from the airport to her offices in the center of Monrovia.
Our sources however inform us that President Johnson Sirleaf is so concerned about the deterioration of the crisis in Guinea that occurred during her absence in the United States, that she does not intend to bask in the love and applause she is currently enjoying as the popular leader of Liberia but she instead plans to immediately fly over to Sierra Leone this week to hold talks with President Kabbah following which the two leaders will start a mutually agreed upon plan to intervene in the crisis in Guinea.
Guinea's ailing head of state, Lansana Conte, is under pressure as never before as demonstrators paralyse the country with a general strike, demanding he resign. Since its formation, Conte’s Party for Unity and Progress (PUP) has won all elections in Guinea to date including legislative and communal elections.
Political opposition to President Conte is almost non-existent due to a combination of the repressive-style of rule from this soldier-turned-democrat on the one hand, and disunity among opposition political parties on the other. A constitutional change he made through a controversial referendum held in 2003 allowing limitless presidential terms, appears to have made him "president for life".
Donors complained that corruption was eating into the fabric of Mr Conte's society. There was no independent electoral commission, and the government held a monopoly over the national media. The donors held their monies back when the regime rejected calls for reforms. The economy started sliding and to compound the situation, President Conte who had been troubled by diabetes over the years, became more seriously ill. But people around him now took liberties with the running of the state and the economy was soon in tatters. Inflation reached a record high of 250% in 2005, and workers' salaries became all but worthless in the face of rising costs of basic goods. The unions called strikes to protect workers, they said. The latest strike has now resulted in people calling for the president's departure.
The President reacted by imposing a 20 hour curfew and has ordered the military to shoot anyone in open opposition to him on the streets. Scores of people have been shot and killed. The African Union has condemned President Conte in no undertain terms.
It is hoped the planned intervention by Presidents Kabbah and Johnson Sirleaf will resolve the crisis.

Minister Knuckles Apologize for his Involvement in Sex Scandal, Blames former Speaker Snowe

The Minister of State for Presidential Affairs in the Elllen led Government, Willis Knuckles who was caught in what the public called a "disgraceful sex scandal" has confirmed and apologized to his boss, the President of Liberia and his family for the act.

Speaking at a well attended press conference yesterday in the presence of some of his family members in an direct admission, Willis Knuckles told reporters yesterday that he is the man in the pornographic image having sex with two underage Liberian girls, one of the girls is about the age of 10.

Minister Knuckles blamed former Speaker Edwin Snowe and his wife Mardea White Snowe for putting “my private life”into the public, Minister Knuckles in a serious and sorrowful mood told the well atteended press conference in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Apologising to his boss (President Sirleaf), family and friends, said that it was his private life to have sex with under age Liberian girls and should have remained that way.

Minister Knuckles said Snowe and his family had unsuccessfully attempted to black mail him and also blamed the distribution of the photograph on an unnamed female legislator, see full text below of Minister Knuckles' press statement:

A compromising photograph has been in circulation reaching serious proportions since the resignation of former Speaker Edwin Snowe, with distribution on the internet, among journalists and even on street corners.

The purpose of this statement, therefore, is to give a clear perspective to the press and to the public as to how this situation has evolved.
First, I must express regrets to my wife of 37 years, my children, my mother, and all my other relatives, my boss, the President, my pastor and my church, my co-workers in government and all my friends, associates and others in the general public to whom this episode has come as a pointless embarrassment.
The perpetrators of this act along with a certain female legislator, have distributed copies of this photograph with the intent of embarrassing me socially and inflicting political damage to the government given my current political position.
The photograph currently circulating was first brought to my attention two weeks ago by Mrs. Mardea White Snowe, who happens to be a cousin and her husband, Edwin Snowe. This happened through a mutual family intermediary. Exactly from where or how it was obtained was not explained and I am still at a loss to understand. Mrs. Snowe indicated that she had control over this photograph.
They unsuccessfully attempted to blackmail me by offering me the photograph and if I would according to them, stop opposing Mr. Snowe and help find a way to resolve Snowe’s political difficulties.
I rejected their overtures and suddenly, since his resignation as Speaker, copies have appeared everywhere.
The public might want to know that in the 2005 elections, I vigorously opposed Mr. Snowe’s candidacy in the Montserrado County District elections. I informed Mrs. Snowe that I felt it my duty to oppose his election to the House of Representatives.Since that day, all Mr. Snowe troubles have been blamed on me.
That people are prepared to go to such an extreme as what the perpetrators have done in an attempt to destroy another person’s character is regrettable.
The accusation of two years ago of four people attempting to kill Mr. Snowe is still fresh in our memory. An NSA report later showed manufactured emails, arranged foreign trips to Ghana, etc. all part of a fraudulent make-up for which an apology was offered.
Now for whatever political or other ends the perpetrator wishes to achieve, my private life is being drawn into the short and inglorious end of someone else’s public life.
I sincerely hope that in dealing with the current difficulty that this situation has created, it should be noted I have forty years of service in the public and private sectors-one widely regarded as dedicated and efficient.
In closing, I must thank all those who have offered me moral and other support in dealing with the crisis-Her Excellency the President, and other government officials, my family, my church friends at home and abroad of all persuasions, and Liberians in general.


Willis D. Knuckles Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Republic of Liberia".

Meanwhile, Liberians who were interviewed by a team of GNN reporters throughout the city described the act by an official of government as "disgraceful" and called for his immediate dismissal.

"This guy must be arrested and detain for disgracing womanhood in our country", a female legal practitioner in an angry mood said.

"Following his admission at a press conference, Mr.Willie Knuckles must resign because his character istainted, embarrassed the office of the president, andcompromised the president's Liberian women sexualexploitation policy she promised to fight during heradministration. Knuckles can no longer be effective in the performance of his duties because of a hugecredible, confidence, trust and decency cloud," a Liberian in the US said on the internet.