By Our Reporter | Smart News Liberia
MONROVIA – Controversy has emerged at Criminal Court “C” following serious allegations of jury misconduct in the high-profile US$6.2 million corruption trial involving former Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel D. Tweah and several former government officials. The allegations surfaced just days after jurors acquitted Tweah and former Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) Comptroller D. Moses P. Cooper of all charges, a verdict that triggered nationwide debate and political reactions.
The acquittal of Tweah, widely viewed as the central figure in the corruption case, has drawn mixed responses across Liberia. Supporters of the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change celebrated the verdict as a triumph of justice, while critics questioned how key defendants could walk free despite the gravity of the allegations and the joint indictment against all accused officials.
However, the controversy deepened after three jurors formally accused some of their fellow panelists of misconduct during deliberations. According to reports emerging from the Temple of Justice, the jurors alleged that certain colleagues improperly used mobile phones in restricted jury areas and maintained unauthorized communications with individuals believed to be associates of the defendants.
The complaint, filed before Criminal Court “C” through an affidavit, reportedly outlined six separate allegations of misconduct. Although the jurors stopped short of accusing anyone of accepting bribes or exchanging money for the verdict, they claimed that outside communication may have improperly influenced the jury’s final decision, particularly the acquittals handed to Tweah and Cooper.
Judicial sources further disclosed that the allegations were accompanied by documentary evidence intended to support the claims against the accused jurors. The development has intensified public scrutiny surrounding the integrity of one of Liberia’s most politically sensitive corruption trials in recent years.
In response, Criminal Court “C” Resident Judge Ousman Feika has ordered a full investigation into the matter. Judge Feika has summoned all jurors involved in the trial, along with lawyers representing both the prosecution and defense, members of the jury management team, bailiffs, sheriffs, and police officers assigned to the jury quarters to appear before the court on Wednesday, May 20.
The court has meanwhile suspended proceedings into a motion for a new trial filed by former National Security Advisor Jefferson Karmoh and former Acting Justice Minister Nyenati Tuan pending the outcome of the jury misconduct investigation. The hearing on the motion had originally been scheduled for Tuesday, May 19.
The controversial verdict delivered on May 8, 2026, concluded a grueling 46-day legal battle at Criminal Court “C.” The twelve-member jury panel acquitted Tweah and Cooper on all charges, including economic sabotage, criminal conspiracy, criminal facilitation, theft of public funds, and money laundering. Their acquittals immediately became a major political talking point across the country.
At the same time, the jury convicted Tuan on charges including theft of public funds, criminal facilitation, and theft of property, while Karmoh was found guilty of criminal facilitation and criminal conspiracy. Former FIA Director General Stanley S. Ford received hung verdicts on several counts after jurors reportedly failed to reach a unanimous decision regarding his criminal liability.
The latest allegations of jury tampering now threaten to cast a long shadow over the entire trial and could potentially reopen legal and political tensions surrounding the case. With the investigation expected to begin on May 20, public attention is once again fixed on the Temple of Justice as Liberians await answers over whether outside influence compromised one of the country’s most consequential corruption verdicts.
