“No One Is Above the Law’: Justice Minister Tweh Hails Convictions of Ex-Top Officials in Landmark $6M Public Funds Trial; Over LD$1B and $500K Vanished Through FIA Accounts
BY: Rufus Divine Brooks Jr
MONROVIA — Minister of Justice and Attorney General Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh on Wednesday declared that the convictions of two former high-ranking officials in the high-profile curruption case of former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah and others send an unmistakable message: public officials who betray the public trust will be investigated, prosecuted, and held accountable.
Speaking at the Ministry of Justice in Monrovia, Cllr. Tweh addressed the nation following the May 8, 2026 verdict delivered by a jury in Criminal Court “C” of the First Judicial Circuit for Montserrado County.
The jury acquitted former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah and former Financial Intelligence Agency Comptroller D. Moses P. Cooper of all charges.
It found former Solicitor General and Acting Justice Minister Cllr. Nyenti Tuan guilty of theft of property, criminal facilitation, and criminal conspiracy.
Former National Security Advisor Jefferson Karmoh was convicted of criminal facilitation and criminal conspiracy.
The jury was hung on charges against former Financial Intelligence Agency Director General Stanley S. Ford.
“This trial, which has held the attention of our nation for many weeks, has now reached its conclusion,” Cllr. Tweh said.
“The jury, composed of ordinary Liberian citizens, performed its solemn constitutional and statutory duty.
That is how the rule of law works in a democracy, and we will not deviate from that principle.”
The Minister said the prosecution stemmed from the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission investigation that uncovered a scheme to move over US$6 million in public funds outside the national budget through FIA accounts and into cash that has never been accounted for.
“We brought this case not because of any individual personality, but because the evidence warranted it,” he said.
“We charged all those whom the evidence implicated, the grand jury indicted them, we prosecuted them, and we left the final decision to a jury of their peers.”
Cllr. Tweh stressed that the convictions of Tuan and Karmoh are significant, noting both held senior positions at the center of government legal and security operations.
“These are not small figures. These are not minor victories. 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. No one is above the law,” he said.
The Minister recalled that the defendants had sought to block the trial by petitioning the Supreme Court for a writ of prohibition, arguing that a presidential directive and claims of national security immunity placed them beyond prosecution.
“The Supreme Court declined to issue the pre-emptory writ and quashed the alternative writ, holding that the trial must proceed,” he said.
“That legal victory established a critical principle: 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.”
Prosecution Defends Its Record
Addressing criticism that the Ministry did not secure more convictions, Cllr. Tweh defended the prosecution team led by Solicitor General Cllr. Augustine C. Fayiah, saying they worked for nearly two years and presented eight witnesses and 18 documentary exhibits, including transfer letters, Central Bank ledgers, and cancelled cheques.
“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,” he said. “I am proud of what the prosecution has accomplished.”
He added that the Ministry, in partnership with the LACC, will conduct an internal review of the case to strengthen future prosecutions.
What the Trial Established
Cllr. Tweh outlined what he said the evidence proved beyond dispute:
1. The FIA was used as a conduit to channel over LD$1.05 billion and US$500,000 outside the budget, based on a July 5, 2023 letter from the National Security Advisor that senior Joint Security officials said they knew nothing about.
2. The funds were withdrawn in cash by the FIA Comptroller, with no receipts or documentation showing how the money was spent.
3. No national emergency or lawful appropriation justified the transfers.
“National security secrecy protects operational methods and sources. It does not, and never will, protect a simple account of where public money went,” he said.
Next Steps and Presidential Backing
The convicted defendants have filed motions for a new trial, which the Ministry has resisted.
If denied, sentencing will follow, and Cllr. Tweh said the State will seek penalties that reflect the gravity of the crimes.
He reaffirmed President Joseph Boakai’s commitment to the anti-corruption fight, saying the President’s support for independent investigations is “not contingent on winning every count.”
“This fight is long. It demands resilience. It demands that we resist the temptation to scapegoat our own prosecutors or pressure them for a predetermined result,” Cllr. Tweh said.
“Public service is a sacred trust. Those who steal from the people will be pursued.
They will be exposed. And sooner or later, they will face justice. That is my pledge to you today.”
