Monrovia, Liberia - Liberia's President Charles Taylor on Monday suspended Information Minister Joe Mulbah and his deputy Milton Teahjay for one month each after they had a fist fight at the ministry last week.
A statement said it was "unbecoming of their status" for the two officials to engage in a brawl.
Taylor, according to the statement, ordered that the salaries of the two officials for the period of their suspension go towards the "repair of damage done to the information ministry during the fracas".
Last Thursday Mulbah and Teahjay engaged in a fist fight over the dismissal of an official of the ministry.
While Mulbah was on a visit to Egypt, Teahjay reportedly dismissed the director of the ministry's communications bureau, Archie Williams.
Upon his return from Cairo, however, the minister revoked Williams' dismissal describing it as "prejudiced".
Despite Mulbah's reversal of the dismissal, Teahjay insisted Williams would not enter his office as long as he remained deputy minister.
This sparked off a heated argument which degenerated into a brawl.
Police Director Paul Mulbah and Defence Minister Daniel Chea had to intervene in the dispute, as Mulbah had reportedly instructed his armed security not to allow Teahjay to enter the ministry. - Sapa-AFP