A Liberian Lawyer and Senior Counsel at Jarpah and Associates, Cllr Randy S. A Tarpleh, has stated his dissenting view on the recent verdict passed down by jurors in the just-ended Economic Sabotage case involving former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah, who was acquitted by a 12-man jury.
In his opinion, Cllr. Tarpeh argued that the case is not yet over, as Tweah controlled and authorized the money to leave the Consolidated Account. He added, “This alone is criminal facilitation.”
Cllr. Tarpleh furthered that the state still has legal options available, including filing a Motion for a New Trial because the verdict contradicts the evidence presented during the trial. “If denied, the matter can proceed before the Justice in Chambers and eventually before the Full Bench of the Supreme Court,” he opined.
Speaking of the important legal concerns that remain unanswered, Cllr. Tarpeh pointed to what he calls serious contradictions between the verdict and the evidence on record.
He raised issues on questions surrounding responsibility, authorization, accountability within the institution and concerns about whether all parties connected to the transactions were properly considered under the law and issues involving conspiracy, facilitation, and the chain of authorization that allowed the transactions to occur.
He noted that another option available to the state is to wait for the appeal of the three convicted defendants (Karmoh, Tuan, and Ford) before the Supreme Court. “Legally, they will ask the court for acquittal because the state did not prove that they stole money. They may also argue that, if they facilitated any act, who did they facilitate and for what purpose? Any decision from that hearing may not directly apply to those who were acquitted, but the Supreme Court could still order a new trial based on glaring missteps of the case,” he further argued.
Concluding, Cllr. Tarpeh noted, “This matter is far from settled. The pursuit of justice, clarity, and accountability continues through the legal process.”
