By T.Q. Lula Jaurey
Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice presided over by Judge Blamo A. Dixon on September 25, 2024, accepted and released to his lawyers, former Liberia’s Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah, who along with four others are facing alleged corrupt charges following a bail bond filed at the court.
Minister Tweah filed a bail bond in the tone of US$8,000,000 in property value which includes real estates and land deeds. Judge Blamo reached the decision after the former Finance Minister turned himself over to the Court for prosecution, accompanied by a bail bond of over 8 million United States Dollars.
State prosecutors recently slapped Tweah along with former Solicitor General Nyanti Tuan, and former National Security Advisor to former President George Weah, Jefferson Karmo and others, with multiple counts of plundering public resources during their tenure in office.
The indictment arose from a questionable transaction reportedly carried out by the defendants from 2018 up to 2023. The court also restored his liberty as a free man pending the commencement of the case hearing slated for November 12, 2024 after the November A. D 2024 term of court opening.
According to Judge Dixon, defendant Tweah under the law has the right to remain silent because any statement made by him will be used against him in the court of law. Judge Dixon also told the defendant that he had the right to motion of change of venue and motion for the recusal of the judge if he is dissatisfied with the judge.
Defendant Tweah and four others were indicted by the Liberian Government on September 9, 2024, on charges of Economic Sabotage (fraud on the internal revenue of Liberia) Misuse of public money, property or records, Theft, illegal disbursement or expenditure of public money, Theft of property, Criminal Facilitation and Criminal Conspiracy.
Meanwhile, state lawyers interposed no objection and acknowledged the bail bond. The case on Monday, September 9, 2024, was transferred to Criminal Court “C” presided over by A. Blamo Dixon which is responsible to adjudicate said matter, issued an arrest warrants on the ex-CDC officials to appear before court and they did but they were signed for by their respective lawyers and to be brought back to court anytime whenever the court needs them.
The three-count indictment followed a complaint filed by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) through the Ministry of Justice against the defendants.
