Fresh cracks have emerged in the prosecution’s case against former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah Jr., as his continued testimony in Criminal Court “C” mounted a sustained and pointed challenge to the credibility, logic, and evidentiary foundation of the government’s allegations.
During his appearance on the witness stand, Tweah accused prosecutors of relying heavily on speculation and incomplete investigation, rather than concrete proof, to support serious charges, including economic sabotage, theft of property, and money laundering. The former Finance Minister informed the court that the prosecution failed to demonstrate that any of the financial transactions in question were unlawful. He argued that key claims, particularly that funds intended for the Ministry of Health were illegally diverted, were not supported by factual evidence.
Instead, he suggested that the narrative was built on what he described as “guess, conjecture, and speculation,” rather than verifiable documentation or a clear understanding of how Liberia’s public financial system operates. A major pillar of Tweah’s defense centered on the structure of government finances under the Public Financial Management framework. He maintained that all funds within the consolidated account fall under the authority of the Minister of Finance, not individual spending entities such as the Ministry of Health.
Using a simplified analogy, Tweah described the government’s consolidated account as a single pool divided into multiple allocations—covering salaries, health, infrastructure, and other sectors. According to him, reallocations within that pool are both lawful and necessary to ensure the smooth functioning of government. He emphasized that at no point did he access or transfer funds from accounts under the direct control of the Ministry of Health, rejecting claims that such funds were misapplied.
He suggested that a clearer understanding of the consolidated account system would have prevented what he described as misleading conclusions presented to the court. “The issue speaks to how quickly conclusions were reached without thorough inquiry,” he told jurors, urging them to scrutinize the prosecution’s claims more carefully.
Addressing accusations of criminal conspiracy involving former Acting Justice Minister Cllr. Nyanti Tuan, Tweah argued that the prosecution failed to meet the legal threshold required to prove such a charge. He noted that conspiracy requires evidence of coordinated unlawful action, something he said prosecutors did not establish. According to him, merely asserting that officials acted together does not constitute proof of criminal conduct, particularly when those actions fall within the scope of their official duties.
Mr. Tweah further criticized the prosecution’s money laundering allegations, describing them as fundamentally flawed. He argued that the movement of funds between government accounts does not meet the legal definition of laundering, which involves concealing the origin of illicit money.
He pointed out that billions of dollars passed through the Ministry of Finance during his tenure, warning that labeling standard government transactions as criminal would set a dangerous precedent. The trial continues as Tweah remains on the stand, with further testimony expected to delve deeper into the financial transactions at the center of the case.
