A warrant of arrest has been issued for Liberia’s former Finance Minister, Samuel Tweh, former National Security Agency (NSA) boss, Jefferson Karmoh, State Prosecutor, Nuenati Tuan, Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) boss, Stanley Ford, and FIA accountant, Moses Cooper.
All five were indicted on Monday for fraud, corruption, and financial mismanagement during the administration of former President George Weah.
Tweh, who had previously been sanctioned by the U.S. government for corruption, has denied the allegations, calling them a “politically motivated witch hunt.”
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The Weah administration, which initially enjoyed widespread support, particularly from the youth, was marred by numerous allegations of corruption and financial misconduct.
Upon taking office in January, President Joseph Boakai vowed to tackle corruption head-on.
The five officials have been charged with “economic sabotage, illegal disbursement and expenditure of public funds, criminal conspiracy, and other financial crimes.” A court in Monrovia subsequently issued arrest warrants for them.
While Tweh and Ford are currently at large, with their whereabouts unknown, Karmoh, his accountant, and Tuan have been apprehended. They were unable to meet bail conditions and have been detained in Liberia’s central prison.
Since assuming office, President Boakai has declared his assets and pledged 40% of his salary to the national treasury as a gesture of his commitment to addressing the dire economic situation he inherited.
