An arrest warrant has been issued for Liberia’s former finance minister, Samuel Tweh, following allegations of his involvement in a $500 million (£389 million) corruption scheme. Tweh, along with four other senior officials from former President George Weah’s administration, faces charges of allegedly embezzling government funds during their time in office.
Tweh, who has previously been sanctioned by the United States for corruption, has dismissed the indictment as a “politically motivated witch-hunt” targeting him and other former officials. The Weah administration, which concluded its six-year term in January, was frequently accused of corruption and financial mismanagement.
Upon taking office, President Joseph Boakai pledged to address corruption head-on. On Monday, the five former officials were formally charged with economic sabotage, illegal disbursement and expenditure of public funds, criminal conspiracy, and other offenses.
In response, the City Court in Monrovia issued arrest warrants for the accused. Three of the officials—former national security adviser Jefferson Karmoh, state prosecutor Nyenati Tuan, and Moses Cooper, the accountancy head at the Finance Intelligence Agency (FIA)—were unable to post bail and have been detained in Liberia’s central prison. Neither they nor their legal representatives have commented on the allegations thus far.
Tweh and former FIA chief Stanley Ford have yet to be apprehended, as their whereabouts remain unknown to the police. This is not the first time Tweh has faced corruption charges; last December, the US sanctioned him and two senators for allegedly abusing their public positions by soliciting, accepting, and offering bribes. Tweh denied those allegations and responded to the recent indictment via Facebook, claiming it was part of a long-standing political vendetta against him.
President Boakai, who assumed office in January after defeating Weah in a run-off election, has made anti-corruption efforts a key part of his administration. He declared his assets, ordered an audit of the presidential office, and has reinforced the General Auditing Commission and the Anti-Corruption Commission. The audit results have yet to be disclosed.