The Civil Society Network of Liberia has noted with deep concern attempts by some individuals and media outlets to link the Executive Director of the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE), Mr. Julius Sele, to the alleged US$300 million drug seizure recently reported, without any credible evidence.
The Civil Society Network of Liberia (CSNL) is a renowned civil society organization committed to good governance, rule of law, and social justice. The CSNL, in a release issued July 23, categorically condemned this act of what appears to be a calculated smear campaign, character assassination, and misinformation intended to undermine the integrity and reputation of Mr. Sele. The group said that the attempt to inform the world that Mr. Julius Sele is connected to the US$300million drug seizure without providing any thread of evidence is ridiculous and character-damaging.
The Civil Society Network of Liberia wonders how individuals could sit on a media outlet and attempt to link Mr. Sele to the alleged US$300million drug seizure when there is NO official report from the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), the Liberia National Police (LNP), or the Joint Security that linked him, noting, “We are troubled by the dangerous trend of trial by social media and sensationalism, where unsubstantiated allegations are used to tarnish the reputation of public officials. This undermines public trust and distracts from the serious fight against illicit drugs in Liberia.”
The CSNL calls for evidence-based reporting by all media practitioners, bloggers, and commentators, and adherence to journalism ethics, adding that if anyone has credible evidence linking any individual, including Mr. Sele, to drug trafficking, such evidence should be submitted to the relevant law enforcement authorities for investigation, not paraded on social media for political capital.
“We also want to make it clear that a public official knowing an individual or being seen in photographs with individuals linked to a crime, like the ongoing drug busts, does not necessarily warrant linking that official to the alleged crime. Attempts to link Mr. Sele to the US$300 million drug bust are a distraction from the level of national developmental initiatives being undertaken throughout the country by LACE. Attempts to politicize and weaponize drug allegations against the LACE Executive Director, Mr. Sele, have the potential to derail its important work for the Liberian people,” The group’s Secretary General, Francis Collins, said in the release.
Meanwhile, the civil society group urges the LDEA and the Joint Security to remain focused, professional, and transparent in their investigation of the alleged US$317 million drug seizure, stating that the public deserves facts, not rumors, while calling for the facts of the seizure to avoid speculation.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and will not hesitate to condemn any public official who is found to be involved in drug trafficking or any other illicit activity. However, we will equally stand against any attempt to unjustly link individuals to crimes without due process and verifiable evidence. We call on the public to disregard the unfounded allegations against Mr. Julius Sele and to allow the law to take its course,” the CSNL release said.
