Monrovia – The Judiciary of the Republic of Liberia has strongly denied reports claiming that Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay ordered an investigation into alleged jury tampering in the US$6.2 million corruption case involving several former senior government officials.
The high-profile case involved former Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel Tweah, former National Security Adviser Jefferson Karmo, and former Acting Justice Minister Nyenati Tuan, among others.
Tweh was acquitted by the jury.
In a sharply worded statement issued Tuesday, the Judiciary described the publication titled, “CJ Gbeisay Orders Probe Into Alleged Jury Tampering in US$6.2M Corruption Case,” as “categorically false, misleading, reckless,” and aimed at undermining the independence and integrity of the courts.
The statement, signed by Judiciary Communications Director Caesar Slapeh, stressed that the Chief Justice never issued any order, directive, or mandate authorizing an investigation into alleged jury tampering connected to the corruption trial.
“At no time did the Chief Justice issue any mandate, order, directive, or instruction authorizing an investigation into alleged jury tampering in connection with the matter referenced in the publication,” the statement declared. “The story is entirely fabricated and bears absolutely no resemblance to any official action or position of the Judiciary.”
The Judiciary emphasized that under Liberia’s constitutional framework and judicial procedures, the Chief Justice does not arbitrarily interfere in criminal proceedings or independently initiate investigations into jury deliberations in cases pending before the courts.
According to the statement, Liberia’s legal system contains “clearly established legal procedures, due process guarantees, and institutional safeguards” designed to prevent improper interference in judicial proceedings.
The Judiciary further accused unnamed actors of attempting to erode public confidence in the court system through misinformation and politically charged speculation surrounding the corruption case.
“The attempt to attribute such conduct to the Chief Justice is therefore not only legally absurd, but also a deliberate smear campaign calculated to undermine public confidence in the independence, neutrality, and integrity of the Judiciary,” the statement added.
The institution also warned against the growing spread of misinformation in high-profile national cases, saying such actions threaten the administration of justice and democratic governance.
“It is deeply unfortunate that certain actors continue to weaponize misinformation, propaganda, and speculative reporting to inflame public sentiment in high-profile cases,” the release noted.
The Judiciary reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law, judicial independence, and due process, while urging the public to rely only on official Judiciary communications.
The statement concluded with a warning that the Judiciary reserves the right to pursue legal action against individuals or entities disseminating what it termed “knowingly false and defamatory information” intended to damage the credibility of the institution and its officers.
