MONROVIA – An investigation into alleged jury tampering in the acquittal of former Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel Tweah has taken a dramatic turn, with sworn testimony now alleging an extra marital relationship between the jury forelady and a lead prosecutor in the case.
By Victoria G Wesseh
The probe — already one of Liberia’s most politically sensitive judicial inquiries this year — was triggered after three jurors filed complaints challenging the impartiality of the panel that cleared Tweah of corruption charges earlier this year.
Tweah’s trial and acquittal had been closely watched nationwide, given his prominence in the former Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) administration.
According to a source close to the investigation who requested anonymity due to the matter’s sensitivity, a female juror testified that the forelady openly told fellow panelists that Solicitor General Cllr. Augustine Fayiah was her boyfriend.
The witness further alleged that the forelady repeatedly praised Fayiah during sequestration, telling jurors “the man can dress well and is handsome.”
The testimony went beyond personal allegations. Several jurors told investigators the forelady claimed she and her son had been “harmonized” by the Congress For Democratic Change(CDC) while she worked at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning — a Liberian colloquialism often used to describe political intimidation or coercion.
Tensions inside the jury room reportedly ran high. Another juror, who questioned the deliberations, was accused by colleagues of anti-CDC bias, with some alleging the party was responsible for her father-in-law’s death.
That same juror had reportedly expressed admiration for the late Montserrado County lawmaker Solomon George, a polarizing CDC figure.
Cllr. Augustine Fayiah appeared before investigators and “categorically denied” any personal relationship with the forelady, calling the allegation “false and misleading.”
No public statements have been made by Cllr. Fayiah or the forelady outside the closed-door hearings.
The court is withholding the forelady’s name pending the outcome of the inquiry.
Despite the explosive claims of romance and political grievances, every juror, who has testified so far, has insisted the final verdict was untainted.
Each told investigators they voted “solely based on the facts and evidence presented during the trial.”
Judiciary sources say the scope of the probe remains narrow but forensic. Investigators are now reviewing phone records, visitation logs from the jury sequestration period and taking additional statements from court staff.
Access to the proceedings is tightly restricted to lawyers, judiciary personnel and the Liberia National Police officer assigned to guard the sequestered panel during Tweah’s trial.
The court has not indicated whether findings could overturn Tweah’s acquittal.
No charges have been filed and no timeline has been given for the probe’s conclusion.
The allegations have reignited debate over how jurors are vetted and monitored in politically charged cases.
Legal analysts note that Liberia’s jury system faces unique pressures in high-profile trials involving former officials, where political loyalties and community ties run deep.
Former Finance and Development Planning Minister Tweah was acquitted earlier this year on charges that were not detailed in court documents released to the public.
The case was seen as a test of Liberia’s judicial independence following the 2023 political transition.
The court confirmed only that the jury tampering investigation “remains active” and declined further comment.
Judiciary sources say investigators will determine whether any improper contact or influence breached sequestration rules or compromised the panel’s integrity.
If evidence of tampering is found, it could trigger a motion to set aside the verdict — though legal experts caution that overturning an acquittal in Liberia faces high constitutional hurdles.
For now, the probe leaves Tweah’s acquittal intact, but with fresh questions about the intersection of politics, romance and justice in one of the country’s most watched court rooms.
