MONROVIA – Liberia’s Justice Minister and Attorney General, Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh, has strongly defended the government’s handling of the controversial US$6.2 million corruption case involving former senior officials of the George Weah administration, insisting that the mixed verdict represents “the strength” of Liberia’s democracy and not a defeat for the government.
In a nationally significant press statement delivered Wednesday, May 14th, at the Ministry of Justice in Monrovia, Minister Tweh broke the government’s silence following last Friday’s verdict in the case involving former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah and four other former officials accused of illegally transferring and withdrawing public funds allegedly intended for national security operations.
The minister described the case as a major institutional test for Liberia’s justice system and vowed that the Boakai administration would continue aggressively pursuing corruption regardless of political status or office held.
“The war against corruption is not decided by a single battle,” Tweh declared. “It is decided by the strength of our institutions, by our willingness to take on difficult cases, and by the message we send to every public servant, past and present.”
Government Defends Mixed Verdict
The jury acquitted former Finance Minister Samuel Tweah and former FIA Comptroller D. Moses P. Cooper of all charges, while former Acting Justice Minister Nyanti Tuan and former National Security Advisor Jefferson S. Karmoh were convicted on several charges including criminal conspiracy and criminal facilitation.
The jury, however, failed to reach a unanimous verdict regarding former FIA Director-General Stanley S. Ford.
Acknowledging public disappointment over Samuel Tweah’s acquittal, the Justice Minister argued that acquittals themselves demonstrate judicial independence rather than institutional failure.
“The verdict of acquittal is not a weakness of our system; it is its strength,” Tweh asserted. “An independent judiciary that acquits, as well as convicts, is the hallmark of a nation governed by law.”
He also emphasized that securing convictions against former top officials of government should not be minimized.
“These are not small figures. These are not minor victories,” he said. “These convictions send a clear, unmistakable message: whether you sit in the Ministry of Justice, the Executive Mansion, or at the head of an integrity institution, if you betray the public trust, you will be investigated, prosecuted, and may be convicted.”
‘National Security Is Not Immunity’
One of the strongest portions of the minister’s address focused on the government’s legal victory before the Supreme Court after defense lawyers attempted to block the trial by invoking presidential immunity and national security protections.
According to Tweh, the defendants initially argued that they could not be prosecuted because the alleged transactions were conducted under directives of the National Security Council chaired by former President George Weah.
“They argued, in essence, that the words ‘national security’ operated as a permanent immunity card, placing them beyond the reach of the criminal law,” the minister said.
Tweh praised prosecutors and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission for defeating that argument before the Supreme Court.
“That legal victory was the foundation upon which everything else was built,” he stated. “It established a critical principle — that neither a former President’s directive nor a claim of national security secrecy can be used as a blanket to block a criminal investigation into the disappearance of public funds.”
Ministry Details Alleged Scheme
The Justice Minister used the press conference to publicly summarize what prosecutors believe the trial established regarding the controversial transactions.
According to him, the Financial Intelligence Agency was improperly used as a conduit to move more than LD$1 billion and US$500,000 outside Liberia’s approved budgetary system.
“The FIA had never before been used to channel Joint Security money,” Tweh said. “It was brought into the scheme by a letter written by the National Security Advisor.”
He further alleged that the transactions bypassed legislative appropriation and standard budget execution procedures.
“There was no legislative appropriation. There was no national emergency to warrant such funding,” the minister stated. “The money simply moved.”
Perhaps the most explosive claim came when Tweh asserted that once the funds reached the FIA account, they were withdrawn entirely in cash without any credible accounting trail.
“Not a single receipt, not a single disbursement sheet, not a single credible witness has ever been produced to show where the money went,” he declared.
The minister disclosed that evidence presented at trial showed that between September 11 and October 17, 2023, more than LD$1.05 billion was withdrawn from the FIA account, while an additional US$500,000 transferred on September 22, 2023, was allegedly withdrawn the very same day.
Government Promises Stronger Future Cases
Despite defending the prosecution’s work, Tweh acknowledged that lessons must be learned from the trial.
He disclosed that the Ministry of Justice and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission will conduct a full internal review of the case, including investigation methods, evidence presentation, and jury management.
“Every complex prosecution offers opportunities to learn,” he said. “That is how we build a stronger prosecutorial capacity.”
Still, the minister strongly defended the prosecution team led by Solicitor General Augustine C. Fayiah, praising their work over nearly two years.
“The prosecution did all this in the face of a defense that repeatedly tried to block inquiry by invoking the shield of national security secrecy,” Tweh stated. “I am proud of what the prosecution has accomplished.”
Sentencing Battle Looms
The Justice Minister also confirmed that convicted defendants Nyanti Tuan and Jefferson Karmoh have already filed motions requesting a new trial, while prosecutors have filed formal resistance to the motions.
If the motions are denied, the court is expected to proceed to sentencing.
“The Ministry will make a vigorous submission to the court, arguing for sentences that reflect the gravity of the defendants’ crimes and serve as a deterrent to future abuse of public office,” Tweh vowed.
‘Those Who Steal Will Face Justice’
Closing his remarks, the Justice Minister framed the case as part of what he described as Liberia’s broader transition toward accountability and institutional governance.
“Liberia has shown that former powerful officials are not beyond the reach of the law,” he declared. “We are building a new jurisprudence of accountability, one legal victory at a time.”
In perhaps the most forceful line of his address, Tweh delivered a direct warning to current and former public officials.
“Public service is a sacred trust,” he said. “Those who steal from the people will be pursued. They will be exposed. And sooner or later, they will face justice.”
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