By Precious D. Freeman
The Criminal Court ‘C’ at the Temple of Justice has subpoenaed the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), and Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) to provide critical evidences in the ongoing high-profile corruption case involving former Minister of Finance, Samuel D. Tweah, and others.
Prosecution successfully petitioned the court last week to compel the leadership of the MFDP, CBL, and FIA to comply with subpoenas requesting records of transactions in FIA’s operational accounts.
The transactions in question, which occurred between September 11, 2023, and October 17, 2023, allegedly involved unauthorized transfers amounting to L$1,055,152,540 and US$500,000 into the FIA’s accounts under Tweah’s instruction.
Court documents reveal that these transfers lacked official authorization from the National Security Council or the National Joint Security, raising concerns about potential economic sabotage and misuse of public funds.
The prosecution has requested documents, including communications related to the transfer, asserting that these records are crucial to the trial.
The FIA has been directed to produce a communication dated September 5, 2023, allegedly submitted by co-defendant Jefferson Karmorh, former Security Advisor to President Weah, to Stanley Ford, former FIA Director General.
The document purportedly informed Ford that the National Joint Security had secured funding and designated FIA as the channel for fund disbursement.
The prosecution argues that this document, along with several communications from Tweah authorizing the transfers, serves as critical evidence in establishing the illicit nature of the transactions.
Court records indicate that on September 22, 2023, under Tweah’s instruction, the CBL transferred US$500,000 to FIA’s account, which was subsequently withdrawn the same day by co-defendant D. Moses P. Cooper, former FIA Comptroller.
Similarly, between September 8 and 21, 2023, L$1,055,152,540 was transferred to FIA’s account, with L$1,055,145,040 withdrawn between September 11 and October 17, leaving only L$7,500 in the account.
The prosecution claims these transactions were unauthorized and lacked accountability, as co-defendant Cllr. Nyanti Tuan, former Acting Minister of Justice, failed to provide evidence of how the funds were allocated among Joint Security entities.
Investigators also found no documentation substantiating FIA’s request for admission into the National Joint Security, contradicting Karmoh’s claim that such a request was made.
Defendants Tweah, Tuan, Ford, Cooper, and Karmoh are accused of economic sabotage, fraud, and illegal disbursement of public funds, violating multiple sections of Liberia’s Penal Code.
The prosecution argued that Tweah knowingly conspired with his co-defendants to execute the unauthorized transfers, resulting in substantial financial losses.
The trial continues as the prosecution presents further evidence to substantiate its claims.
The court’s ruling will have significant implications for accountability and governance in Liberia, setting a precedent for the handling of public funds and adherence to financial protocols within government institutions.