The violent assault on ‘Investigative’ Independent Newspaper, Editor-In-Chief, J. Dominic Farley, marks a dangerous escalation in attempts to silence Liberia’s independent press. Attacked while pursuing legitimate investigations into alleged corruption, smuggling, and institutional interference at LACRA, The Independent vows the intimidation will fail, and the investigation will continue relentlessly.
Management of The ‘Investigative’ Independent Newspaper strongly condemns the violent attack carried out against its Editor-In-Chief, Mr. J. Dominic Farley, while engaged in legitimate journalistic duties connected to an ongoing investigative probe into mounting controversies at the Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA) and reported cocoa smuggling.
Mr. Farley was physically attacked on Monday, May 25, 2026, on Crown Hill, opposite the offices of the Oracle News Daily newspaper, by suspended LACRA Deputy Director General for Operations and Technical Services, Alpha Gongolee, along with several individuals associated with him upon his ordered.
The incident occurred within the context of an investigative assignment jointly being pursued by Mr. Farley and E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor, Editor-in-Chief of the Oracle News Daily newspaper, into allegations of institutional instability, political shielding, anti-smuggling enforcement backlash, governance conflicts, and internal resistance to ongoing reforms at LACRA.
“The Management of The Independent regards the attack as deeply troubling and unacceptable, not merely because it involved one of our editors, but because, it represents a direct assault on investigative journalism, press freedom, and democratic accountability in Liberia,” a release issued by the paper immediately following the incident said.
Prior to the incident, Mr. Farley had established communication with Gongolee as part of efforts to obtain his side of the story in line with professional journalistic ethics and balanced reporting standards.
Both parties had agreed to an in-person interview scheduled for May 25, 2026, in addition to a telephone interview on Sunday afternoon, a day before the violent assault.
However, what should have been a lawful journalistic engagement, degenerated into violence, intimidation, and physical assault on the Editor by Gongolee, who is under suspension and active investigation for his role in the allegations reported.
Upon arrival at the agreed meeting point, Gongolee insisted he would not go into the offices of the Oracle Newspaper for the interview when he came down from the car, rather, he ordered that the interview must be done in his car, according to Farley.
The Editor agreed for the interview be done in the car as demanded by the suspended LACRA official and Mr. Farley decided to call his colleague, the Oracle Newspaper Editor who was already awaiting to usher in Gongolee and Farley for the interview at his offices.
Gongolee objected that Farley should not call his colleague, and in an aggressive and arrogant deportment, he began to question Farley: “In fact who are you to investigate me; I am not answerable to you. Why you guys want to investigate me.” But Farley responded, “We are a team of journalists investigating the matter as you were told and aware of since Sunday.”
In a furious manner while blasting, Mr. Gongolee moved very close to the Editor and began to photograph him, using his mobile phone, including the rest of the fellows whom he travelled with suing their phone to photograph Farley as well. At that point, Mr. Farley asked “but why are you photographing me” while the argument was intensifying, he ordered the guys to attack the Editor while he was also helping them to overpower him (the Editor).
When Mr. Farley objected to the conduct and questioned the purpose of the attack and photographs, Gongolee and him men got on their car and left immediately as people were watching.
The expected violent assault resulted to bodily injuries and internal in the back pain.
However, The Independent said, it considers the action as profoundly alarming that a journalist attempting to verify facts and obtain responses connected to matters of major public interest became the target of intimidation and violence.
“Such conduct threatens not only the safety of journalists but also the broader democratic principle that public institutions and public officials must remain subject to lawful scrutiny and accountability.”
“The newspaper emphasizes that the investigation into developments at LACRA was not initiated casually or maliciously. It arose from persistent allegations, testimonies, and internal accounts, suggesting a deeper institutional struggle involving anti-smuggling reforms, political interference, operational resistance, and tensions surrounding the recent suspension of Alpha Gongolee.”
The Independent said, it had formally commissioned the investigation with explicit focus that allegations and counterclaims be independently verified through documentary evidence, interviews, corroborating testimony, and the right of response for all parties implicated.
The newspaper added that it remains committed to those standards and rejects any attempt to portray the investigation as politically motivated or malicious.
At the heart of the investigation, are critical national questions concerning whether ongoing reforms within Liberia’s commodity sector are encountering organized resistance from entrenched interests threatened by tighter enforcement and regulatory restructuring.
Liberia’s cocoa, coffee, and oil palm sectors remain central to national revenue generation, international trade credibility, and rural livelihoods. Any evidence of institutional compromise, abuse of influence, or interference with anti-smuggling efforts therefore, rises questions far beyond ordinary administrative disputes and enters the realm of serious national concern.
“The Management of The Independent Newspaper wishes to make it unequivocally clear that intimidation, threats, violence, or orchestrated attacks against journalists will not deter the newspaper from pursuing facts wherever they may lead. If anything, this attack reinforces the urgency and legitimacy of the investigation itself.”
The newspaper therefore calls upon the Press Union of Liberia, the Liberia National Police, human rights institutions, civil society organizations, and the broader media community to treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves and ensure that a full, impartial, and transparent investigation is conducted.
The Independent further urges all public officials, institutions, and political actors to respect the role of the media within a democratic society and refrain from actions capable of fostering fear, intimidation, or hostility toward journalists carrying out lawful professional duties.
Meanwhile, the release quotes the Publisher of the paper, Mr. Sam O. Dean, that the newspaper remains resolute in its commitment to fearless journalism, factual reporting, and the pursuit of truth in the public interest.
