The Liberian government has argued that nothing prevented the erstwhile Coalition for Democratic Change-led government in which Tweah was a finance minister from addressing any wrongs done in the Sirleaf-led government.
By Kruah Thompson
Monrovia, July 31, 2024: The Liberian government has rejected former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah’s categorization of his indictment as a “witch-hunt,” vowing that it will prove its charges against the accused.
At Tuesday’s press conference on July 30, 2024, Information Minister Jeronlinmek M. Piah argued that former President George Manneh Weah appointed all individuals at the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) involved in the indictments of the accused.
Tweah is one of the top former cabinet officials of former President Boakai’s regime.
Based on a complaint filed by the Liberian government through the Ministry of Justice and the LACC, the Monrovia City Court issued arrest warrants for Mr. Tweah and several former officials on Monday, July 29, 2024.
Those indicted along with Mr. Tweau are Mr. Weah’s former National Security Advisor, Mr. Jefferson Karmoh, Liberia’s former Acting Justice Minister, Cllr. Nyenati Tuan, former Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) Director Mr. Stanley S. Ford, and former FIA Comptroller Mr. D. Moses P. Cooper.
So far, Cllr. Tuan, Mr. Karmoh, and one of the FIA indictees were detained at the Monrovia Central Prison on Monday, July 29, 2024.
Tweah, who is believed to be out of the country, maintained that the writ of arrest against the past officials is a complete witch-hunt.
Minister Piah said Mr. Tweah’s Facebook post reminded the public of corruption events during President Sirleaf’s twelve-year tenure, suggesting that attention has now shifted to President Weah.
Piah indicated that Mr. Tweah and his team were in leadership for six years, and if they believed that former President Sirleaf had done wrong, nothing prevented the erstwhile Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC)-led government from addressing it during the past administration.
Mr. Piah warned that if the government discovers any wrongdoing in the past, it will take appropriate action.
Using the CBL as an example, he noted that the audit report led to the suspension of the Executive Governor, Mr. Aloysius Tarlue and that it was not a witch hunt.
He assured that the government is committed to doing the right thing, irrespective of personal connections or political affiliations.
On Monday, arrest warrants were issued against Tweah and several past officials so that the accused could address charges, including economic sabotage, theft of property, illegal disbursement and expenditure of public funds, criminal facilitation, and criminal conspiracy.
The defendants are also accused of conspiring to divert funds from the government illegally.
The allegations include the defendants’ alleged authorization of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) to transfer money to the FIA’s account and subsequently withdraw the funds for their personal benefit.
Specifically, between September 8 and September 25, 2023, prosecutors said the defendants allegedly orchestrated transfers totaling over one billion Liberian dollars and substantial amounts in U.S. dollars from government accounts to the FIA’s operational account.
Reading from the LACC report at the regular press briefing in Monrovia, Mr. Piah disclosed that on September 8, 2023, defendant Samuel Tweah sent a letter to the CBL Executive Governor as part of an illegal scheme involving scams and conspiracy.
In the letter, Tweah allegedly authorized and instructed the CBL Governor to transfer LD $55,452,540 from the government’s health and social security account.
He also stated that on September 19, 2023, as part of the ongoing illegal activities, defendant Tweah sent another letter to the Executive Governor of the CBL.
In that letter, Tweah authorized and instructed the transfer of LD$ 9,997,000 from a government account held at the CBL to the FIA Liberian Dollar operational account.
He further noted that the total amount transferred to the FIA operational account was LD 1,055,152,540.
“Furthering the scheme, on September 21, 2023, the former Minister of Finance, Samuel Tweah, sent another letter to the Governor of the CBL, authorizing and instructing the transfer of USD 500 from the government’s health and social security account to the FIA United States Dollar operational account.”
Additionally, Minister Piah noted that between October 8 and October 21, the total amount transferred by the CBL to the FIA operational account was LD 1,085,152,540.
Furthermore, on September 21, 2023, Piah said defendant Moses P. Cooper withdrew LD 187,580,000.
Minister Piah noted that on September 22, 2023, Moses Cooper made two withdrawals from the FIA account: LD 350,000,000 and LD 450,000,000.
On September 25, 2023, he added that Cooper withdrew an additional LD 10,000,000 from the Central Bank of Liberia account to the FIA operational account. In total, Piah said Cooper withdrew LD 1,055,145,040 in 2023.
The government spokesperson detailed that despite the substantial amounts withdrawn, the security agencies did not receive adequate funds at the time.
It was pointed out that, except for Mr. Tweah, the LACC invited all individuals of interest to be interviewed and provided statements regarding their involvement in the alleged crimes during the investigation.
