Three former Liberian government officials have been incarcerated at Monrovia Central Prison following a corruption indictment issued against them and others by the government on July 29, 2024.
The arrested and remanded individuals are former Minister of Justice Cllr. Nyenati Tuan, former Comptroller of the Financial Intelligence Agency, D. Moses P. Cooper, and former National Security Advisor Jefferson Karmoh.
Former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah and former Director of the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA), Stanley S. Ford, who are also named in the five-man indictment released by the government, remain at large.
The five former officials face charges of economic sabotage, misuse of public funds, theft or illegal disbursement of public money, theft of property, criminal facilitation, and criminal conspiracy.
According to the indictment filed by the Ministry of Justice and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), in July 2023, the defendants allegedly conspired in a scheme to defraud the government by unlawfully appointing co-defendant Stanley Ford to the National Security Council, in violation of the National Security Act of Liberia.
The indictment claims that the defendants, with intent to defraud the Government of Liberia, misappropriated L$1,055,152,540.00 and US$500,000.00 for personal use, using the FIA’s operational account.
Following the indictment, defendants Nyenati Tuan, D. Moses P. Cooper, and Jefferson Karmoh were arrested and appeared before the Monrovia City Court to face the charges.
However, defense lawyers requested the court to release the defendants to a person of interest pending the filing of a proper criminal appearance bond.
This request was denied by Stipendiary Magistrate Ben Barco, who ordered the defendants to be incarcerated for failing to present a valid criminal appearance bond.
By FCCT Editorial Team
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