MONROVIA, Liberia – July 20, 2026 – Former Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel D. Tweah Jr. has publicly accused Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung of attempting to influence the outcome of his ongoing criminal case by directing a judge to overturn a jury’s acquittal, allegations that have not been independently verified and have not been publicly addressed by the Vice President.
In a lengthy social media statement posted ahead of an expected court ruling, Tweah alleged that Vice President Koung instructed Judge Ousmane Feika to overturn the jury’s verdict based on what he described as “bogus and spurious” claims of jury misconduct.
Tweah claimed the trial judge had found no evidence linking him or his legal team to any alleged misconduct but was nevertheless under pressure to set aside the jury’s decision.
The former minister further alleged that the matter had become the subject of discussions within the government and among members of the judiciary, claiming some officials opposed overturning the verdict out of concern for the independence of Liberia’s judicial system.
According to Tweah, unnamed sources informed him that a final decision was communicated to Judge Feika following government deliberations and what he described as a national security assessment.
He argued that overturning the jury’s acquittal would undermine the rule of law and amount to political interference in the judiciary.
Tweah also claimed that Vice President Koung had prioritized political considerations over judicial independence, alleging that the government’s interest in future elections was influencing the handling of his case. Those allegations have not been substantiated by independent evidence, and neither the Vice President nor the Executive Branch had publicly responded to the claims at the time of publication.
Reflecting on the jury’s verdict, Tweah maintained that nine jurors had already declared him not guilty based on the evidence presented during the trial, describing himself as “a free man” and insisting he would not submit to what he characterized as a politically motivated retrial.
He further accused the government of targeting him for political reasons and warned against what he called attempts to manipulate Liberia’s judicial process.
In his statement, Tweah called on Judge Feika and Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Gyapay Yuoh? (Note: image says Gbeisay; avoid correction? Better: Chief Justice Gbeisay.) Actually use Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay? Safer: Chief Justice Gbeisay. He urged them to uphold judicial independence and resist outside interference.
Tweah concluded by declaring that Liberia had moved beyond an era of autocratic governance and said he was prepared to continue what he described as a political fight if the court ruled against him.
The former minister said he intends to address the media following the court’s decision.
The allegations come amid continued legal proceedings involving Tweah and have added a new political dimension to a case that has attracted significant national attention. No evidence supporting the allegations against Vice President Koung was included in Tweah’s statement, and the claims remain his assertions. At the time of publication, there had been no official response from the Office of the Vice President or the Judiciary regarding the accusations.
