Liberia-Embattled former Finance Minister Damuel D. Tweah has opened up on allegation linking him to the mysterious death of the former head of the Internal Audit Agency (IAA), Emmanuel Barthan Nyeswa.
After answering to public corruption charges, former Minister Tweah on Wednesday, honored a Liberia National Police invitation to answer questions in connection with the mysterious death the late IAA boss Nyeswa who was believed to be a close friend.
Narrating the situation when he appeared on a local television station yesterday morning, Tweah denied having any knowledge about circumstances leading to the death of Nyeswa. Tweah said he only got to know what had happened to their friend, Barthan when he was informed by his brother Noris Tweah.
The CDC former officials narrated, “On the night of the incident, I called my brother Noris Tweah informing him that I was spending the weekend at his house; I think it was on a Friday. So, because of that my brother didn’t go out with Barthan and the other friends; normally, he (Noris) goes out with Barthan, Thomas Doe Nat and the other friends to do their stuff but this time he told them that because I was at his house he was unable to be with them.”
Mr. Tweah explained, “I was in bed at about 2:00 AM, my security knocked on my door informing me that my brother was on the phone and wanted me to get on the phone; he said you have to call the Health Minister, so I took the phone. He (Noris) told me that Teako and others called him that something happened to Barthan.
He clarified that Teakon Williams is a guy who was with Barthan in the house along with a lady only identified as Leelai believed to be Barthan’s girlfriend and Prof. Redd during the incident.
Tweah further narrated that when his brother Noris got to the house that night Barthan was on the ground while Teako and the others were sitting. “So, Noris shouted, Barthan is bleeding! But they believe that Barthan always in some kind of fixed thing so they were not taking it seriously.”
He said Noris insisted, “The man is bleeding then you here waiting for me to leave from my house before taking him to the hospital, why you guys couldn’t take him to the hospital?”
He said this infuriated his brother and called Barthan but he was still bleeding and couldn’t talk. Responding to a question why his brother was the first person to be called, Tweah said, “My brother was called to the house because probably because he’s a lawyer and they could get some level of intervention from him.”
He furthered, “So, that’s how Noris took the living body, not dead body of Barthan to the JFK Hospital and called me to inform Dr. Brown and Dr. Jallah, Bill Tweahway and other friends to proceed at JFK because he was taking Barthan there. When we got there and asked, the guys who were with him (Barthan) were all shaking, explaining with some saying he fell, others saying he didn’t fall and all of that.”
The former Finance Minister wondered why the police are after him when they found out that there was a foul played. “So, if you look into this case and say there was a foul played then, who should be questioned; is it Samuel Tweah or those who were with Barthan? They have all the stories and not me,” Tweah said.
Barley a week after the former Finance Minister was seen at Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice after being indicted by the Liberian Government over an alleged corruption scandal, he has again heeded to a long-awaited invitation from the Police through the cold case unit. This time in connection to Nyeswa’s death.
Tweah and other former Ministers in the CDC government were invited along with ex-ministers of Health, the former National Port Authority (NPA) Managing Director, now Senator Bill Twehway and others for questioning in connection with the mysterious death of former Internal Audit Agency (IAA) boss Emmanuel Barthan Nyeswa.
Mr. Tweah was represented by a team of lawyers at the Liberia National Police headquarters on Wednesday October 2,2024.
Mr. Nyeswa’s lifeless body was found in his yard in the 72nd Community in the Paynesville suburb of Monrovia in October 2023.
After his mysterious death, the official account was that the former head of the IAA had fallen from the balcony of his home at night, after returning from an entertainment center in Monrovia’s Congo Town suburb.
Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman told a news conference at the Liberia National Police headquarters in Monrovia Tuesday July 23, 2024 that they have invited several persons of interest and held interviews with them in connection to the death of Mr. Nyeswa.
Those persons of interest invited are, Cllr. Norris Tweh, Dr. Emmanuel Wreh, Mr. James Thompson, Ms. Tina J. Mort, Mr. Gibson H. Tumbay, Mr. Robert S.M. Ketter, Mr. Musa Sesay, Ms. Hawa Mienwipia, Ms. Florence Zeanbaon and Mr. Joe Tokpah.
In the coming week, the LNP says it has also invited and request the appearance of the below persons of interest to provide pertinent information to the team of investigators of the Cold Case Unit Crime Service Department reference their presence at the JKF Memorial Hospital immediately after the incident which occurred at victim Emmanuel Barthan Nyeswa’s 72nd residence.
Former Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah, former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweh, former National Port Authority Managing Director now Senator of Rivercess County Bill Twehway and Mr. Teakon Williams.
