CDC Youth League Wants Lonestar MTN Investigated

-Over Reported Burglary At Its Ashmun Street Facility

The Revolutionary National Youth League of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) wants the Liberia National Police invite Lonestar MTN to explain the reported burglary at its Ashmun street facility in Monrovia.

Lonestar MTN facility on Ashmun is said to be housing the transmitter of Roots FM of vocal talkshow host, Henry Pedro Costa due to its coolest capacity to reduce the high tension from the transmitter while switched on.

On Monday February 11, 2019, Costa reported that alleged criminals reportedly broke in and took away his transmitters (500 and 1000 watts respectively). thereby making the radio station to go off air. He added: “they came in and immediately pulled out their guns – the three of them, they pulled out their guns on the two watchmen who were unarmed and they began asking them ‘Where is Costa’s broadcast equipment?’.

Costa immediately rallied the support of the public in getting new transmitter and in less than 24 hours, the radio station was back on-air broadcasting to the shock of Liberians.

Meanwhile, in a press statement Thursday February 14, 2019, the Revolutionary National Youth League of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) called on the Liberia National Police to conduct a full investigation into such alleged act and bring to book those involved in accordance with the rule of law.

“The mighty CDC as a democratic institution believes in freedom of the press and all other fundamental freedom; a commitment our standard-bearer President George M. Weah continues to exhibit through the decriminalization of free speech. We call on the Police to also investigate the premises of Lonestar Cell- MTN that is believed to be hosting the receiver and other equipment of Root FM and frown on the police decision to have the alleged victim compromising the crime scene (the premise of Root FM) thereby bringing to question the factuality of the incident on the part of the management of Root FM. While we condemn this alleged act, we also want to warn against any act of orchestration on the part of the Root FM family as a means of presenting a quote-unquote bad image of the government. We are aware of the growing hate been shown by the ‘hate position’ calling themselves opposition and won’t want to believe that this is another attempt to spread their hate against this president and the government,” the Youth League said in a statement.

Over what the group calls the growing waves of threats from diaspora Liberians, the Youth League is calling on the international community most especially the US Government to intervene and bring to book people residing in the U.S issuing numerous threats of instability and threat on the life of the president by members of the opposition including Mr. Henry P. Costa who they said have threatened to purchase guns to armed members of the opposition to “burn down “ the home of the president and bring down a sitting democratic government which was elected by the vast majority of the people . “These callous comments emanating from Mr. Costa and other members of the ‘Hate position’ have the proclivity to undermine our peace and democracy. Therefore, we don’t want to believe that the United States government as one of the foremost investors into the peace and democracy of this country for decades will allow abusers of free speech to use the U.S soil as a ground of fermenting chaos against a democratically elected government. We are aware of how the United States and other foreign partners have always stand in protection of our democracy and peace.

“Consequently, we hold strongly that the alleged act of burglary if not orchestrated be investigated and those found culpable should face the full weight of the law. From the inception of this government, the president has shown his commitment to promoting free speech and creating an enabling environment for the exercise of our fundamental rights. This has occasioned the abuse of such rights as we witnessed daily the use of vulgarity against the presidency and unfounded allegation against the government by certified blackmailers in the ‘hate position’ contrary to the exercise of responsible opposition like the CDC during the erstwhile regime,” the group added.