Gedetarbo Magisterial Court in Maryland County has given a local community radio, Voice of Hope Radio a 72-hour ultimatum to publicly retract and apologize for a series of unsubstantiated claims it aired agains the court’s magistrate, Nyemady Bedell.

The decision was reached during a Friday morning conference in Pleebo after journalist Edward H. Stearm, host of the station’s Whistleblower Show, accused the court of withholding illegal drugs reportedly submitted by the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency in 2023 and 2024.

Stearm claimed to have documents and evidence to back his claims but failed to present any proof when asked during the hearing.

Magistrate Bedell demanded the evidence be produced, but after nearly an hour of silence from the journalist, members of the media community present at the hearing requested a brief recess. Upon their return, the media representatives issued an apology, admitting the reports lacked proper verification and may have misled the public.

While accepting the apology, Magistrate Bedell described the action of the station as unprofessional and damaging to the reputation of the judiciary. She warned that spreading false information undermines public trust in the legal system and would not be tolerated.

The court has mandated that the radio station deliver a formal letter of apology and air a retraction clearly stating that the previous broadcasts were inaccurate and unfounded.