Samuel D. Tweah Jr., Liberia’s former Finance Minister, has been granted an $8 million bail after surrendering to Criminal Court ‘C’ on Tuesday. Tweah, who arrived in the country Monday night, faces multiple charges alongside ex-National Security Advisor Jefferson Karmoh and former Solicitor General Cllr. Nyanti Tuan. The charges include economic sabotage, fraud, and criminal conspiracy, and Tweah’s trial is set for November 12.
These charges stem from an investigation by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), which accused the former officials of orchestrating a scheme that diverted over L$1 billion and US$500,000 from the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA). The funds, intended for national security and financial oversight, allegedly disappeared under suspicious circumstances between September 8 and 21, 2023.
According to the LACC, Tweah authorized large transfers without the necessary approvals from Liberia’s National Joint Security or the National Security Council. No documented need for the funds was found, raising questions about the legitimacy of the transactions.
Court documents indicate that the majority of the transferred funds were withdrawn by D. Moses P. Cooper, then Acting Financial Controller of the FIA, within just over a month. Only L$7,500 remained in the account after these withdrawals, adding to the allegations of mismanagement and corruption.
The case has drawn significant attention due to the high-profile nature of the accused and the serious financial implications for Liberia.
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