Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay has reportedly ordered an investigation into allegations of jury tampering involving employees of the Judiciary following the controversial verdict in the high-profile US$6.2 million corruption case tried at Criminal Court “C” in Monrovia.
Judicial sources informed disclosed on Wednesday that the probe centers on claims that some court employees allegedly assisted former Finance Minister Samuel Tweah and former Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) Comptroller Moses Cooper in securing acquittals on all charges contained in the indictment.
The jury’s verdict brought mixed outcomes for the defendants. While Tweah and Cooper were acquitted, former Acting Justice Minister Nyenati Tuan and former National Security Advisor Jefferson Karmoh were found guilty of stealing US$2.6 million. The two men had earlier been jointly indicted alongside the other defendants on allegations of conspiracy and theft linked to the multi-million-dollar corruption case.
Meanwhile, jurors returned a hung verdict in the case involving former FIA Director General Stanley Ford, indicating that the panel failed to reach a unanimous decision on whether to convict or acquit him.
The verdict has since generated widespread public debate and legal scrutiny, with allegations emerging that some Judiciary employees may have improperly influenced members of the jury during the trial.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the employees under investigation are reportedly attached to the Judiciary’s Security Department and Jury Management Office. However, the identities of those allegedly involved have not yet been disclosed.
When contacted for official comment, Judiciary Communication Director Caesar Slapeh declined to speak on the matter, stating only, “No comment.”
