Sylvia Blyden Files Affidavit Against Liberty TV and Zainab Sheriff, Seeks Legal Redress

Former Minister and political figure Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden has announced that she has taken formal legal steps against Zainab Sheriff and Liberty TV Online by filing an affidavit at the Law Courts, as part of a complaint lodged with the Independent Media Commission (IMC).

In a statement shared on social media, Dr. Blyden said the affidavit, which runs to ten pages and contains 29 paragraphs, outlines her claims and forms the first stage of her pursuit of legal redress.

According to her, the affidavit names a relative of Zainab Sheriff, identified in paragraph 25 as Abubakarr Jah, whom she described as Sheriff’s nephew and stated is turning 18 years old this month. Dr. Blyden alleged that this individual contacted her in April 2023 with a request related to public information concerning Zainab Sheriff at the time.

Dr. Blyden further stated that the affidavit includes allegations she believes will challenge public perceptions of Zainab Sheriff and raise questions about the conduct of Liberty TV Online. She accused the media outlet, as well as journalists Khadija Bangura and Mabel Kabba, of unprofessional journalism. These allegations, however, have not yet been tested or determined by the appropriate regulatory or judicial bodies.

She disclosed that the affidavit was filed with the Complaints Committee of the Independent Media Commission and indicated that she has so far made public only three of the ten pages, describing the document as containing extensive details in support of her claims.

As of the time of reporting, Liberty TV Online, Zainab Sheriff, and the journalists named have not issued a public response to the allegations. The Independent Media Commission is expected to review the complaint in line with its mandate to handle disputes and complaints involving media practitioners and institutions.

The matter is now subject to regulatory and possible legal processes, and all parties involved are entitled to the presumption of fairness until the issues are fully examined and determined by the relevant authorities.