CLAIM: "Armed Officers Attempt to Invade Truth FM to Arrest Trokon Gray"
SOURCE: Mulbah Morlu, Chairman of Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND), and Isaac Jackson, Liberian political commentator and former diplomat
VERDICT:FALSE - No evidence supports the claim that armed officers attempted to storm Truth FM or arrest Trokon Gray
Full Text: On July 16, 2025, Mulbah Morlu posted on Facebook alleging that the Liberia National Police had deployed armed officers to storm Truth FM in what he described as "a blatant attempt to crush free speech ahead of the July 17 Protest." Morlu claimed the officers were targeting Trokon Gray without provocation, labeling the incident "tyranny in uniform."
The Facebook post generated significant public reaction, recording 172 reactions, 134 comments, 93 shares, and 34.6K views at the time of review.
The alleged incident occurred on the eve of the "Enough is Enough" protest, organized by Morlu's STAND party, the "We the People Movement," and the youth wings of opposition groups, including the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) and the Progressive Student Alliance.
Verification: To verify these serious allegations, our fact-checking team conducted a comprehensive investigation involving multiple sources and video evidence.
During a live interview on OK Morning Rush with journalist Clarence Jackson on July 16, 2025, LNP Spokesperson Cecelia Clarke categorically dismissed any police operation targeting Truth FM or Trokon Gray, who serves as President of the Supreme Motorcyclist Union.
Clarke clarified that police presence near Duport Road was entirely unrelated to the upcoming protest. Instead, officers were responding to a request for assistance from former Senator Steve Zargo.
"The Zone 5 Commander was instructed to assist Senator Zargo and, while locating directions, briefly stopped around the Truth FM vicinity but had no engagement with Gray or the station," Clarke explained.
In a separate interview, Senator Steve Zargo confirmed he had requested police intervention, corroborating the police account.
"I live around the Rehab Community but I went to the Duport Road area last night because I needed police intervention. The directions were giving me a hard time, and it took a while before they finally arrived. It was just about a five-minute encounter, but I called the police around 10 PM," Zargo stated.
Our team reviewed the video footage from that night, along with Morlu's post. The video shows three unarmed officers walking alongside a man on the phone, who can be heard asking for directions and mentioning Duport Road cemetery and two motorcyclists, before proceeding into a dark area.
Crucially, the footage shows no armed confrontation, no invasion of Truth FM, and no interaction with Trokon Gray or station personnel.
TSM contacted Truth FM employee, Joseph Blackie via telephone. He explained that while on shift, he observed police officers walking through the alleyway, which serves as a common pathway.
Blackie said he noticed and overheard the officer communicating with someone on the phone regarding the location of a particular place. However, the officers appeared confused about the exact location, which led them to the Truth FM area. After receiving directions to the Duport Road Market, they all boarded motorcycles and left the scene.
Conclusion: Based on our comprehensive fact-checking investigation, including official police statements, corroborating testimony from Senator Zargo, and analysis of available video evidence, we find the claim to be FALSE.
The police presence in the Duport Road area was linked to an unrelated personal assistance request from Senator Zargo. No evidence supports allegations of an attempted arrest or intimidation of Trokon Gray or any invasion of Truth FM.
While freedom of the press and the right to peaceful protest remain fundamental pillars of Liberian democracy, it is equally important that public discourse be based on verified facts rather than unsubstantiated claims.
