U.S. issues visa restrictions on Tweah, Chie, and Nuquay

The United States Government has widened its sanctions against Liberian officials issuing visa restrictions against Finance Minister Samuel Tweah, and Senators Albert T. Chie and Emmanuel Nuquay.

The U.S. State Department announced the latest move on Monday, 11 December 2023, bringing to a total of nine officials who have been sanctioned so far in the Weah-led regime.

The U.S. has also included on the list of visa restrictions the immediate family members of Mr. Tweah, Mr. Chie, and Mr. Nuquay.

The U.S. State Department said pursuant to Section 7031(c), it has publicly designated Mr. Tweah, Sen. Chie, and Sen. Nuquay, for their alleged involvement in significant corruption by abusing their public positions through soliciting, accepting, and offering bribes.

The U.S. government has accused the top Liberian officials of offering or receiving bribes to manipulate legislative processes and public funding, including legislative reporting and mining sector activity. 

As part of this action, the U.S. explained that their immediate family members including their spouses Delecia Berry Tweah, Abigail Chie, and Ruthtoria Brown Nuquay, and Tweah and Nuquay’s minor children are also designated.

Earlier on 8 December 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department designated Monrovia Mayor and ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) secretary general Jefferson Koijee.

Koijee’s sanction is pursuant to E.O. 13818 for engaging or having been a leader of an entity that has engaged in serious human rights abuse and corruption.

The U.S. said Koijee has engaged in corrupt acts, including bribery and misappropriation of state assets and pressuring anti-corruption investigators to halt all corruption investigations.

“Today, the U.S. State Department designated 30 individuals around the world pursuant to 7031(c) visa restrictions, including Samuel Tweah, the Liberian Minister of Finance and Development Planning, and Liberian Senators Albert Chie and Emmanuel Nuquay and their close relatives,” the U.S. Government said. 

It detailed that these visa restrictions are one of the many tools the U.S. government leverages to further promote accountability for corrupt actors around the world. 

 The U.S. had earlier sanctioned Margibi County Senator-elect Nathaniel McGill, River Cess County Senator-elect Bill Twehway, and former Solicitor General Cllr. Saymah Syrenius Cephus.

The three senior officials from the Executive were sanctioned along with Nimba Senator Prince Y. Johnson and Grand Cape Mount Senator Varney G. Sherman.