A warrant of arrest has been issued against Liberia’s former finance minister, Samuel Tweh, following allegations of his involvement in a $500 million corruption scandal.
Tweh, along with four other senior officials from the previous administration of President George Weah, have been indicted for allegedly stealing from the government during their tenure.
The indictment, which was announced on Monday, includes charges of economic sabotage, illegal disbursement and expenditure of public money, and criminal conspiracy.
Three of the accused individuals – former national security adviser Jefferson Karmoh, state prosecutor Nyenati Tuan, and accountancy boss at the Finance Intelligence Agency (FIA), Moses Cooper – have been unable to pay bail and are currently detained in Liberia’s central prison.
Tweh, who was previously sanctioned by the US for corruption, has denied the allegations, calling the indictment a “politically motivated witch-hunt” against him and other former officials.
In a Facebook post, he stated, “Today a politically motivated witch-hunt has been officially launched against my person, calling for my arrest. Over the last six years, I have been a major political target and have faced falsely devilish accusations.”
The Weah administration, which ended in January 2024, faced numerous allegations of corruption and financial mismanagement.
President Joseph Boakai, who took office in January, has pledged to crack down on corruption and has taken steps to tackle the issue, including declaring his assets and ordering an audit of the presidential office.
