After the Supreme Court Chambers Justice declined to issue a writ of certiorari prayed for by prosecution lawyers, Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice will kick off today, Wednesday December 18, 2024, trail of former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah and others to answer to alleged corruption allegations.
Initially, the court set December 4, 2024 for the commencement of the case hearing but government lawyers filed a writ of certiorari against Judge A. Blamo Dixon and defendants Samuel D. Tweah for what they referred to as defective bail bond.
Other defendants are Nyanti Tuan, former Acting Justice Minister/ Solicitor General, D. Moses P. Cooper, former Controller of the Financial Intelligence Agency, Stanley S. Ford, former Director of Financial Intelligence Agency, and Jefferson Karmoh, former National Security Advisor to President George Weah.
The former officials of government were indicted by the Liberian government in September of this year for allegedly stealing LD$1,055,152,540 billion and US$500,000 during tenures of their respective positions.
The defendants are expected to be arraigned in open court where they will either plead guilty or not guilty to their indictments.
The indictment is as a result of a complaint filed by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) through the Ministry of Justice.
The former CDC officials were indicted for crimes of Economic Sabotage: (Fraud on the Internal Revenue of Liberia Misuse of public money, property, or record; Theft and/or illegal disbursement and expenditure of public money) 2. Theft of Property, Money Laundering, Criminal Facilitation, Criminal Conspiracy.
It can be recalled that former Solicitor General Nyanti Tuan, P. Moses D. Cooper, Jefferson Karmoh and Stanley S. Ford, were arrested and Jailed on July 29, 2024 while former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah left the country.
However, four officials were later released on bail following their detention at the Monrovia Central Prison.
By T.Q. Lula Jaurey
