MONROVIA, September 30 (LINA) - The Justice in Chamber at the Supreme Court, Justice Kabineh Ja’neh, says the closure of the National Chronicle Newspaper was a constitutional matter that cannot be handled by one Justice and requires the input of the full Supreme Court bench.

Final ruling in the case involving the National Chronicle Newspaper by and through the Press Union of Liberia versus the Government of Liberia was on Monday postponed pending the sitting of the full bench of the Supreme Court for its October Term of Court.

The Liberia News Agency reports that the defense team headed by Cllr. J. Sayma Syrenius Cephas had earlier argued that the closure of the paper was done without due process of law because there was no court order issued to close the offices of the paper.

But, in counter argument, the prosecution headed by Cllr. Daku Mulbah said the Information Ministry has administrative power to close the Offices of any media institution(s) once that institution contravenes the laws of Liberia.

Touching on the traveling ban on the Publisher of the National Chronicle Newspaper, Philipbert Brown, Justice Ja’neh also said the Police Director’s letter filed in the case did not contain any portion that asked the court to ban the publisher from travelling and therefore, he can travel wherever he wishes to go.

The Chronicle Newspaper was closed down in early July by the government for publishing an article indicating that an interim government was under formation when the term of the democratically-elected government has not ended.
LINA RS/GDJ/TSS/PTK