Information Minister Jerolinmek M. Piah has rejected stament by former Finance Minister Samuel Tweah that his indictment by the Government of Liberia is a witchhunt. Speaking at a news conference Tuesday, July 30, 2024, Minister Piah disclosed that all those at the Liberia Anti Corruption Commission (LACC) whose work led to this indictment were not appointed by President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, but by former President George Weah under whom Tweah served as Finance Minister. He supposed that if there is a witchhunt, then Tweah is suggesting that those appointed by his former boss, Weah, are the ones witchhunting him and other former officials who are also indicted.
Minister Paih thanked the LACC for what he termed as living up to their responsibility, “Saying it does not matter who appoints you to do a piece of work, do it without fear or favor.” He said the past government had all the time to audit the Sirleaf’s administration but failed to do so, and now they are expecting the Boakai government to do same.
“We as a government, when we find a cost for anybody who may have committed something in the past, there is no statute of limitations; we will do the needful,” he said . The Minister wondered why the CDC led the country six years and believed that wrong things took place in the previous twelve years, yet it didn’t take the appropriate action needed.
Minister Piah said President Boakia ran for public office on an account of holding those who betrayed the public trust accountable and that’s what he’s doing. It can be recalled that few former officials of the George M. Weah administration were sent to jail on Monday, July 29, 2024 in connection with Economic Sabotage and Misuse of Public Money
According to a Writ of Arrest issued on Monday, July 29, 2024, the former officials were charged with the crimes of Misuse of Public money, Section 15.8 (c) of the New Penal Law of Liberia, Theft and or Illegal Disbursement and Expenditure of Public Money, Section 18.52, Theft of Property, Criminal Conspiracy and Criminal Facilitation.
On Monday, some key officials of the former administration were arrested ands sent to jail. Those sent to jail include, former Solicitor General, Cllr. Nyanti Tuan, Jefferson Kemoh, former National Security Advisor to former President George Weah and D. Moses P. Cooper, former Comptroller at the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA).
Others indicted by the writ who were yet to be arrested are former Finance and Development Planning Minister, Samuel D. Tweah Jr. and Stanley S. Ford, former Director of Financial Intelligence Agency.
The Writ of Arrest ordered, “You are hereby commanded to arrest the living bodies of Samuel D. Tweah, former Minister of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), Cllr. Nyenati Tuan, former Acting Minister of Justice, Stanley S. Ford, former Director General of the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA), D. Moses P. Cooper, former Comptroller of the Financial Intelligence Agency, and Jefferson Karmoh, former National Security Advisor.
The Sheriff was also ordered to bring them to the Monrovia City Court, Temple of Justice, to answer the charges of Economic Sabotage, Theft and/or Illegal Disbursement and Expenditure of Public Money, Theft of Property, Criminal Facilitation and Criminal Conspiracy based upon the oath and complaint of the Republic of Liberia by and thru the Ministry of Justice and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), Plaintiff, in which it is substantially alleged as follows to wit.”
The Writ alleged that in an elaborate scheme and conspiracy to defraud the Government of Liberia, in July 2023, defendants conspired with co-defendant Stanley S. Ford, and made him a member of the National Security Council of Liberia, in total violation and contravention of the National Security Act of Liberia.
Subsequently thereafter, the writ mentioned that at various times in September 2023, the defendants in carrying out their diabolical scheme and conspiracy and under the false pretense of discharging their duties as officials of the Joint Security of Liberia, unauthorizedly, criminally, willfully, illegally, knowingly and maliciously, with the intent to defraud the Government of Liberia, stole and converted to their own use and benefit and did conspire, collude and made to be transferred, from the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) to the amount of L$1,055,1 52, 540 the amounts of the FIA US$5,000, 000.00.
It stated that the amounts of L$1,055,145,040 and US$5,000, 000 were subsequently withdrawn either on the same day of the transfers or days thereafter without any indication or record of how the amounts were disbursed or utilized by the Joint Security of Liberia in complete and total violations of the New Penal Law of Liberia.
The Writ alleged that the act of the defendants being unlawful, wicked, illegal and intentional is a violation of the New Penal Law of Liberia. “Contrary to the form and effect of the statutory laws of Liberia in such cases made and provided against the peace and dignity of this republic, and for so doing, this shall constitute your legal and sufficient authority and have this writ; court given under our hands and seal of this 29th day of July, A.D. 2024,” the writ said.
