The defense team representing former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah and several co-defendants is showing visible signs of internal strain as the investigation into alleged jury tampering intensifies at Criminal Court “C”.
What once appeared to be a unified legal front has now fractured into open disagreement among three senior defense lawyers, Cllr. Arthur T. Johnson, Cllr. Noris Tweah, and Cllr. M. Wilkin Wright, over whether the court has the legal authority to conduct the inquiry.
During portions of the proceedings, Cllr. Johnson openly challenged the court’s jurisdiction, insisting that Judge Osman Feika lacks the legal mandate to preside over the ongoing investigation.
According to him, the matter should follow a different statutory path and should not be handled in its current form. But Cllr. Wright, a former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, sharply disagreed, and his frustration became evident as he firmly defended the court’s authority.
“If a lawyer commits a crime, he or she must be investigated. And if found guilty, he or she must go to jail,” Wright stated, emphasizing that no member of the legal profession is above the law. The contrasting views have created an uneasy atmosphere within the defense team. Court observers note that the tension could influence their collective strategy as the high-profile economic sabotage case unfolds.
The jury tampering investigation is being conducted behind closed doors, with only individuals directly linked to the matter allowed inside. Jurors and court officers have reportedly been questioned, though no formal charges have been announced to date. As the inquiry progresses, public attention remains fixed not only on the allegations of improper communication with jurors but also on the growing division within the defense camp, a development that could shape the next phase of the trial.
Judge Ousman F. Feika, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, launched a formal investigation into alleged jury misconduct in the high-profile US$6.2 million economic sabotage case involving Tweah Jr. and several former government officials. The probe follows reports that some empaneled jurors may have engaged in improper communication with individuals believed to be linked to the defendants during the jury’s deliberations.
If confirmed, the allegations could seriously undermine the integrity of the trial and influence the outcome of the defense’s pending motion for a new trial. Judge Feika ordered all jurors, alternates, and relevant court officers to appear before the court on May 20 to respond to questions surrounding the alleged misconduct.
According to court sources, the Judge seeks to determine whether any juror violated provisions of the Criminal Procedure Law governing the confidentiality and independence of jury deliberations.
While the inquiry is underway, further arguments on the defense’s request for a new trial have been put on hold. Legal analysts say the suspension reflects the gravity of the allegations and the court’s responsibility to safeguard due process.The ongoing trial stems from accusations that former Minister Tweah and several ex-officials made financial decisions that resulted in the mismanagement or unexplained loss of US$6.2 million in public funds. Defendants Samuel D. Tweah, Nyanti Tuan, Stanley Ford, Jefferson Karmoh and Moses Cooper were charged and indicted with multiple economic and financial crimes, including Economic Sabotage, Misapplication of Public Money, Theft of Property, Criminal Conspiracy and Money Laundering.
