MONROVIA, Liberia — Liberia’s Supreme Court has reaffirmed that former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah and other ex-officials cannot claim immunity from prosecution based on National Security Council (NSC) status, clearing the path for one of the country’s most closely watched corruption cases in recent years.
The court’s latest action upholds its December 2025 position and rejects a re-argument bid by the defense, which had sought to block criminal proceedings on the grounds that NSC-related duties should shield former officials from liability. Reporting on the ruling says the justices acknowledged a citation error in the earlier opinion but held that the correction did not change the substance of the judgment: the law cited does not grant the sweeping immunity the defendants claimed.
Those facing trial alongside Tweah include former Justice Minister Nyanti Tuan and former National Security Adviser Jefferson Karmoh, among others. The charges reported across Liberian legal coverage include economic sabotage, misuse and illegal disbursement of public funds, theft of property, and related financial crimes.
At the center of the indictment are allegations that, in September 2023, large sums were moved from state security-linked accounts into Financial Intelligence Agency operational accounts and then withdrawn without proper authorization. Case-tracking reports and court-linked summaries cite figures of L$1,055,152,540 and US$500,000 in disputed transfers and withdrawals.
Legally, the ruling is significant beyond this case. By refusing to extend presidential or national-security immunity to former subordinate officials, the court has reinforced a narrower interpretation of executive protection and signaled that ex-officeholders can face full criminal scrutiny for alleged financial misconduct.
Politically, the trial is likely to remain highly charged, given Liberia’s transition from the Weah administration to the current anti-corruption posture under President Joseph Boakai. Defense teams have previously argued the prosecutions are politically motivated; prosecutors frame the matter as a test of accountability in public finance and national-security spending.
