Liberia: Ex-Finance Minister Tweah Claims His Freedom Blocks VP Koung’s Presidential Hopes

Monrovia — Former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah has accused Vice President Jeremiah Koung of orchestrating efforts to have him jailed in order to advance his own presidential ambition.

Tweah made the allegations on Wednesday, February 25, a day after he appeared before Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice, where proceedings in his high profile case resumed following a mandate from the Supreme Court of Liberia.

Judge Osumun F. Feika ordered the Supreme Court’s mandate read into the record on Tuesday, thereby clearing the way for the continuation of the trial.

The former finance minister, along with four other former officials, is accused of misapplying 6.2 million United States dollars allegedly earmarked for national security purposes during the previous administration.

The defendants face multiple charges, including economic sabotage and money laundering. Prosecutors contend that the accused authorized and managed financial transactions in violation of Liberia’s public financial management laws, raising serious concerns about transparency and accountability in the use of state resources.

The case had been temporarily stalled after defense lawyers mounted a constitutional challenge, arguing that the expenditures in question were tied to national security and therefore shielded from criminal scrutiny. They further contended that actions undertaken within the scope of executive authority should not expose former cabinet officials to prosecution.

However, the Supreme Court ruled that constitutional immunity applies only to a sitting president and does not extend to cabinet officials. The decision removed a key legal obstacle and allowed the case to proceed. The mandate was transmitted to Criminal Court “C” on Tuesday, February 24, effectively reopening one of Liberia’s most closely watched alleged corruption prosecutions.

A day after the court proceedings resumed, Tweah took to his Facebook page with explosive allegations directed at Vice President Koung. In a statement, Tweah claimed that the vice president is using his influence to ensure his imprisonment as part of a political calculation tied to future presidential ambitions.

“Jeremiah Koung’s quest is the destruction of the best and brightest in our generation as his path to political ascendancy,” Tweah wrote. “He wants to jail Tweah in the CDC and is fighting Ngafuan in the UP through Stanton Witherspoon of SpoonTalk.”

Tweah went further, suggesting that Vice President Koung’s political strategy is premised on positioning himself for leadership after President Joseph Boakai leaves office. “If Koung believes he will lead our generation beyond Weah and Boakai, his best bet is the death of the current president, and we will fast and pray against this outcome,” Tweah stated.

In another striking passage, Tweah recounted a personal anecdote involving the vice president. “My friend Jerry say I mor go to jail for him to be president and you saw this as far back as 2022,” he wrote, referring to a conversation he claimed his wife had warned him about years ago.

Tweah also described Vice President Koung in harsh terms, alleging a pattern of political manipulation and opportunism. “This tells you how VP Koung is a dangerous man, a desperate hustler and an opportunist that is very pretentious,” he declared.

Beyond the immediate allegations concerning his own legal battle, Tweah accused the vice president of quietly undermining key figures within the Unity Party, including Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Finance Minister Augustine Ngafuan, Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karngar-Lawrence, and Senator Abraham Darius Dillon.

He further alleged that Vice President Koung had previously used financial inducements and political tactics during his time in the Legislature to entrap or sideline colleagues.

Tweah’s comments also referenced past tensions involving prominent political actors, including the late Senator Prince Yormie Johnson and political commentator Henry Costa, suggesting that Vice Presient Koung’s relationships with them were marked by unresolved conflicts and strategic maneuvering.

The allegations come at a critical moment in the country’s political landscape, as the Boakai administration seeks to reinforce its anti-corruption credentials while navigating internal party dynamics and national expectations.

Efforts to obtain a response from Vice President Koung were unsuccessful as of press time. His office has not publicly addressed the claims made by the former finance minister.

By FrontPageAfrica.