AJURL Crisis Deepens

MONROVIA-OCTOBER 24, 2025: Some aggrieved members the Association of Judicial Reporters of Liberia (AJURL) have taken serious exception to recent press release issued by Ms. Natasha Yassah Wright and her team, purporting to represent the leadership of the Association of Judicial Reporters of Liberia (AJURL) saying that the statement is fraught with misrepresentations, factual inaccuracies, and basic procedural misunderstandings.

The aggrieved members of the Association noted n a release that, “We are compelled to correct the record and expose the fundamentally flawed and misleading nature of that statement.”

On the Membership Status of Complainants, the group said the claim that journalists Stephen Roberts, Jacqueline L. Dennis, and G. Richards Watson are not bona fide members of AJURL is patently false and deliberately misleading.

According to them, Stephen Roberts was duly elected as Secretary General of AJURL in 2022. He has never been removed or suspended from this role and continues to serve in that capacity, enjoying the full confidence and support of his colleagues within the association.

1. Richard Watson has never resigned from OK FM. He remains actively engaged in judicial reporting and retains the trust of both his media institution and peers on the judiciary beat, while Jacqueline L. Dennis is one of the funding members and oldest judicial reporter of the Association currently.

“In fact, at the time Ms. Dennis and the like of Fallah Matthews were actively covering the judiciary, our former president Ms. Wright was not even a journalist by then,” the release added.

They added that Ms. Dennis has maintained a consistent and active presence at the Judiciary and clearly meets the criteria of a judicial reporter. “The assertion that she “has no assigned beat” is dismissive and baseless, aimed solely at downplaying her active involvement in the association.”

According to the group, these individuals have every right to file a complaint under the PUL framework. Any attempt to undermine their membership status is an affront to both democratic participation and professional ethics.

On the Leadership Legitimacy of Ms. Natasha Yassah Wright, the group averred that Ms. Wright’s statement implies she still holds leadership over AJURL. “This is incorrect. Her leadership tenure expired on June 10, 2025, yet she continues to occupy the position without a legitimate mandate.”

“This is the very crux of the complaint filed in October 2024—alleging overstay, lack of accountability, and failure to conduct elections as required by the association’s constitution,” the group noted.

The group added that it is disingenuous for Ms. Wright to claim surprise at the complaint, when multiple internal efforts were made to engage her leadership before the matter was escalated to the Press Union of Liberia (PUL).  “The claim that she was blindsided is simply a deflection from her failure to adhere to the association’s democratic processes.”

On Procedural Concerns, according to them, Ms. Wright criticizes the PUL for not officially serving her a copy of the complaint.

However, disciplinary and administrative matters within umbrella organizations are often handled at the discretion of the parent body-particularly when credible concerns are raised regarding leadership legitimacy or procedural breaches. “Moreover, Ms. Wright’s attempt to invoke the legal concept of “discovery” suggests a misunderstanding of organizational grievance procedures.”

“The PUL is a professional and regulatory union, not a court of law. It is well within the PUL’s mandate to initiate an investigation without first issuing formal legal-style notifications.”

On the Tone and Language of the AJURL Release, the aggrieved members noted that the tone of the AJURL press statement is unnecessarily confrontational, dismissive, and unprofessional—especially for an organization representing judicial reporters.

They said rather than providing evidence, clarity, or accountability, the release attempts to deflect and discredit complainants. “It also contains numerous grammatical and structural errors, including, incorrect, “The Association of Judicial Reporters of Liberia only became aware of this allegation by a press statement. Correct, “Became aware of these allegations through a press statement.”

Incorrect, “We are left to wonder on what basis. Correct: “We are left to wonder about the basis. Incorrect: “Enormous regard. Correct: “Enormous regard. Incorrect: “Instead the leadership of the PUL should accord us homage. Correct: Instead, the leadership of the PUL should accord us due respect.”

According to them, the phrase “accord us homage” is awkward, archaic, and inappropriate in a professional context. Incorrect: “To substantiate our position, journalist Stephen Roberts has been assigned. Correct: “To substantiate our position, Journalist Stephen Roberts is assigned.”

They added that this rebuttal is not intended to diminish anyone’s contributions but to set the record straight in the face of deliberate misinformation. “The three complainants are not outsiders, they are legitimate and active members of AJURL and committed stakeholders in the pursuit of transparency, accountability, and professional ethics in journalism.”

“We urge the PUL to proceed with its investigation and restore order and credibility to AJURL through a fair, democratic, and timely process. No individual, including Ms. Wright, is above institutional accountability,” the release concluded.