MONROVIA – Criminal Court ‘C’ at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia on Thursday, March 12, 2026, began jury selection in the high-profile economic sabotage and corruption trial involving former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah and four other former officials who served under the administration of former President George M. Weah.
The first day of proceedings focused on selecting members of the jury who will hear the case. Out of fifteen jurors required for the trial, nine were selected on Thursday, while the remaining six are expected to be chosen when the court resumes proceedings on Friday.
According to an official Notice of Assignment issued by the court, the case has been placed on the docket of Assigned Circuit Judge Ousman F. Feika of Criminal Court ‘C’. The Republic of Liberia, acting through the Ministry of Justice, has brought charges against five former senior government officials who once held influential positions in institutions responsible for managing the country’s financial system, enforcing laws, and protecting national security.
The defendants named in the indictment include former Acting Justice Minister Nyanti Tuan, former Director General of the Financial Intelligence Unit Stanley S. Ford, Financial Intelligence Agency Comptroller Moses P. Cooper, and former National Security Advisor Jefferson Karmoh.
Court filings indicate that the accused face multiple criminal charges, including Economic Sabotage, one of the most serious financial crimes under Liberian law and often associated with large-scale misuse of public funds. Prosecutors allege that the defendants participated in actions that defrauded the Liberia Revenue Authority and authorized the unlawful disbursement and expenditure of government resources.
In addition to economic sabotage, the indictment also includes charges of Theft of Property, Money Laundering, Criminal Facilitation, and Criminal Conspiracy.
Under Liberia’s legal framework, these offenses carry severe penalties if convictions are secured and could have lasting implications for the defendants’ reputations and future involvement in national affairs.
The prosecution is being led by the Ministry of Justice under the leadership of Justice Minister and Attorney General Oswald Tweh, working in collaboration with the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, the institution mandated to investigate and prosecute corruption-related offenses.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters following Thursday’s court proceedings, defense lawyer Arthur Johnson, who represents Tweah, maintained that his client acted within the scope of the law while serving in government.
“The peace we enjoyed today was based on the statutory expression of the mandate of the minister being authorized by the National Security Council, which exists in the Office of the President,” Cllr. Johnson told judiciary reporters outside the court.
