Editorial Team

Local Voices Liberia Fact Checking Desk maintains full editorial independence, ensuring all content is produced based on rigorous fact-checking standards. Our team adheres to ethical journalism practices, prioritizing accuracy, transparency, and accountability in reporting. Decisions about the publication are solely guided by the commitment to factual integrity and public interest, free from any external influence or bias.

All reports by fact checkers are submitted to the Desk Coordinator who reviews the work with the fact checker by double checking sources. After this, the draft is shared with the Editor, who does a review and share with the fact checker for a joint review before publication of the report.

We ensure that all of our reports are based on credible evidence — authoritative or credible (expert) sources. The Editorial authority is exercised by the entire team based on our clearly written fact checking process. The editor reviews and publish fact checks that meet the standard of the fact checking Desk. Because the editorial process is clearly defined and streamlined, the authority is not inherent in a single person — the editor only provides supervision to ensure these principles are adhere to.

Alpha Daffae Senkpeni
Co-Founder/Editor

Senkpeni is a multi-media journalist and fact-checker with 18+ years of journalism expertise. He’s a Co-founder and Executive Director of Local Voices Liberia (LVL). He holds a law degree from the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law.

, a BSc in Mass Communications from the University of Liberia, and an alumnus of the Radio Netherlands Training Center (RNTC). He also holds a postgraduate diploma from Renmin University of China and has attended various fact-checking trainings. Until August 2020, he served as deputy editor at FrontPage Africa. He has also worked in community radio, and for int’l media like China Daily, News Deeply, and TRT World.
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Jerry Gaye
Fact Checking Desk Coordinator

Jerry Gaye is a passionate Liberian journalist and Fact Checker with nearly ten years of working experience with reputable media organizations, gathering information on news, current affairs, important events and matters of public interest.

He has worked over the years as Executive Mansion Bureau Chief for Prime FM in Monrovia, Reporter and Producer for LACSA Radio in Grand Bassa County. His works have unearthed bad labor practices at various concession areas and helped change their pattern of operations. With a high regard for a healthy environment, he also harbours an interest in the Water Sanitation and Hygiene sector of Liberia. He is skilled in news writing, editing, feature writing, and investigative reporting. He is a recipient of several journalism and fact-checking certificates from the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, African Check, and Internews in Liberia.
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Aria Deemie
Fact Checker & Social Media Content Creator

Aria Deemie is a two-time award-winning Liberian journalist and a fact-checker with a bachelor’s degree in social work. She's a postgraduate student at the Mother Patern College of Health Sciences in Monrovia studying Social Work.

She has acquired training in fact checking from Africa Check. Aria seeks to bring to light issues that have been withheld in the dark. She hopes to speak to the conscience of perpetrators of human rights abuses and to bring the truth to light through her reports.
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Varney Kelvin Sirleaf
Fact Checker & Media Trainer

Sirleaf is a Liberian journalist and fact checker with over 5 years’ experience in media practices. Varney holds a diploma in journalism. Before joining Local Voices Liberia as fact checker in 2021, Varney previously worked as a reporter at Prime FM in Monrovia.

He is currently a student at the African Methodist Episcopal University on Camp Johnson Road in Monrovia. Since joining Local Voices in 2021, he been a member of the fact Checking desk and coordinates training activities for the organization.
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D. Olivia Banwon
Fact Checker

She is a 2019 graduate of the United Methodist University, has demonstrated her dedication to journalism since 2019. She is a fact-checker at Local Voices Liberia and has emerged as a prominent figure in the field.

She has acquired professional certifications, including recognition from Africa Check for her participation in a fact-checking and verification master class for journalists. During the recently held October 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections, she played a crucial role in debunking fake news, dispelling misinformation and countering disinformation.
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Siaway Miapue
Fact Checker

Miapue is a passionate Investigative Journalist with seven years of experience in mainstream journalism. He produces compelling stories that resonate with a broad audience. He’s a recipient of Liberia's first Young Journalist Award in 2023 funded by USAID Media Activities through global development media organization, Internews.

Miapue has a niche for health and environmental reporting and also has a strong interest in fact-checking. He holds a Diploma in Journalism from the Media Aid Foundation and served as President of its 6th graduating class. Miapue also holds an advanced certificate from the Public Diplomacy Section of the United States Embassy in Monrovia in investigative journalism. He is completing his BSc in public health at the University of Liberia.
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