By: Sandally Sawo
Alkamba Times’ reporter Kebba AnsuManneh has refused to retract a story he authored about the alleged involvement of the environment minister Rohey Jones-Manjang in a shady logs deal.
Lawyers for the environment minister have written to Mr. Manneh to retract his article titled Environment Minister, Former LRR Governor Accused of Involvement in Illegal Transaction of Seized Logs published in the Alkamba Times on 19 June 2024.
The minister’s lawyers said the article contains statements that are false and defamatory and that they caused significant damage to their client’s reputation and standing.
The Alkamba Times reported that an inquiry it conducted uncovered signs of corruption and significant participation by RoheyJones-Manjang and former LRR governor Seedy Lamin Bah after they were implicated in disposing of remnants from an illegally cut Mahogany tree in Kiang Kaif. It was alleged in the report that the mahogany tree was bought at D200,000 out of which D150,000 was paid into an account allegedly belonging to the minister. The remaining D50,000 was allegedly deposited into the account of one Bakary Fatty of Kaif.
According to The Alkamba Times, the tree was bought by a certain Lamin Jassey.
The minister’s lawyers said these statements were not only factually incorrect but also constituted libel under the laws of the land and therefore demanded an immediate retraction and public apology.
However, the author of the article KebbaAnsu Manneh has insisted that the contents of the said article were correct, accurate and non-defamatory. He said he stands by the accuracy of the said news article and shall not retract its contents nor apologize to Mrs. Jones-Manjang.
