Monrovia – Criminal Court C has ordered the Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), Henry F. Saamoi, to appear and authenticate key financial documents, following a highly technical defence mounted by former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah Jr. in the ongoing economic sabotage trial.
By: Willie N. Tokpah
Taking the witness stand on April 20 as the defence’s first witness, Tweah delivered a “detailed” rebuttal to the prosecution’s case, challenging both its legal foundation and factual assumptions.
His testimony, which blended public financial management principles with national security considerations, sought to dismantle allegations tied to controversial fund transfers involving the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA).
Under direct examination by defence counsel Arthur Johnson, Tweah argued that the prosecution had misinterpreted the legal triggers for public spending and failed to fully account for the operational realities of government finance.
At the heart of his defence was the assertion that government expenditure does not always depend on formal written requests.
According to Tweah, once the national budget is enacted, it provides legal authorization for spending. He added that emergency expenditures—particularly those linked to national security—may be executed through high-level consensus without prior documentation.
“Government spending does not always depend on written requests. The Finance Minister has legal authority to approve such expenditures,” Tweah told the court.
He further contested claims that direct transfers through the CBL were unlawful, describing “direct debit” transactions as a recognized fiscal tool often used during urgent situations and later regularized within the budget framework.
In a bid to reinforce his argument, Tweah cited past government transactions amounting to tens of millions of U.S. dollars, executed through the CBL to entities such as the National Elections Commission and international partners, including the World Food Programme and UNFPA.
He maintained that these transactions followed similar procedures now being challenged by the prosecution, yet were never deemed illegal.
The defence gained further ground when it requested the court to subpoena the CBL Governor to verify documentary instructions linked to those transfers.
Despite objections from prosecutors, who questioned the relevance of the request, the presiding judge overruled the challenge and ordered the issuance of a subpoena.
The Governor—or a designated representative—is now expected to testify and authenticate photocopied records already admitted into evidence, a development legal observers say could prove pivotal.
“This goes directly to the credibility of the prosecution’s narrative,” one legal analyst noted. “If the documents are authenticated, it undermines earlier testimony that such direct transfers never occurred.”
Tweah also firmly rejected allegations of conspiracy involving former Acting Justice Minister Nyanti Tuan, describing the interactions as routine inter-agency coordination rather than criminal collusion.
“There was no conspiracy, only normal government coordination,” he asserted.
Addressing the role of the FIA, Tweah emphasized its longstanding inclusion within Liberia’s national security architecture, dismissing claims that its involvement in fund disbursement required special authorization.
Throughout his testimony, the former minister repeatedly accused investigators of drawing conclusions without exhausting all evidentiary avenues.
“Investigators assumed wrongdoing instead of verifying all possibilities,” he said, arguing that the absence of documentation should not be equated with proof of criminal intent.
His court appearance comes amid growing scrutiny of the prosecution’s case, particularly following testimony from two retired generals who reportedly denied knowledge of FIA-related fund disbursements within the joint security framework.
With proceedings set to resume on Wednesday, April 22, the court is expected to hear further testimony as the defence intensifies its argument that the charges lack a firm legal basis.
The case, which has drawn widespread public and legal attention, is increasingly shaping into a high-stakes test of Liberia’s public financial management laws and the boundaries of executive authority during periods of national urgency.
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