MONROVIA – Days after former Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel D. Tweah Jr. emerged from the highly publicized US$6.2 million economic sabotage case with his reputation politically reinforced following his acquittal, the Government of Liberia, through the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force (AREPT), has again placed the former official at the center of another major corruption-related investigation, this time involving an alleged US$20.5 million rice subsidy scheme introduced during the administration of former President George Weah.
By Selma Lomax, [email protected] & Willie Tokpah, [email protected]
The latest development has intensified the already polarized political climate in the country, with opposition figures accusing the government of pursuing selective justice, while supporters of the administration insist the investigation represents a critical effort to enforce accountability in public service.
The formal communication from AREPT, dated May 13, 2026, invited Tweah to appear before investigators on May 19 at the Task Force headquarters in Paynesville to answer questions surrounding the alleged diversion and misapplication of funds intended to stabilize rice prices between September 2021 and October 2022.
The subsidy initiative, announced at the height of rising commodity prices and growing public frustration over economic hardship, was designed to cushion ordinary Liberians by reducing the cost of a 25kg bag of rice, Liberia’s most consumed staple food.
However, investigators now claim preliminary records and financial documents in their possession indicate that millions of dollars allocated under the program may have been diverted without producing the intended impact on market prices across the country.
According to the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force, the investigation centers on allegations that public funds approved for the rice subsidy initiative were unlawfully redirected through a network of coordinated transactions allegedly involving senior government officials and other individuals connected to the previous administration. The letter addressed to Tweah and signed by AREPT Core Member John M. Gbilee, Jr., with approval from Chairman Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin outlined several serious allegations, including theft of property, economic sabotage, criminal conspiracy, criminal facilitation, and the misapplication of entrusted public funds.
The Task Force alleged that Tweah, while serving as Finance Minister, played a central role in authorizing and processing financial disbursements associated with the subsidy program, despite what investigators described as glaring irregularities surrounding the implementation and monitoring of the initiative.
AREPT further maintained that the investigation forms part of the government’s anti-corruption campaign under Executive Order #161 issued by President Joseph Boakai, which established the Task Force to identify, investigate, and recover public assets believed to have been stolen or improperly managed under previous administrations.
The government insists the investigation is not politically motivated but rather part of a larger national effort aimed at restoring transparency, accountability, and public trust in Liberia’s governance system.
In one section of the communication to the former Finance Minister, the Task Force emphasized that evidence already gathered by investigators raised substantial concerns regarding the administration of the rice subsidy funds and the role allegedly played by senior officials responsible for approving the transactions.
The letter stated that preliminary financial reviews and supporting documentation obtained by investigators indicated that significant portions of the money allocated for the subsidy exercise may not have been applied toward their intended public purpose. Investigators maintained that despite the huge financial commitment announced by government authorities at the time, ordinary Liberians saw little measurable reduction in rice prices, thereby prompting concerns that the program may have been exploited for personal and political gain at the expense of struggling citizens across the country.
The Asset Recovery communication further stressed that the investigation was not intended to prejudge anyone’s guilt, but rather to provide all individuals linked to the transactions an opportunity to clarify their roles and respond to the allegations being examined by the Task Force.
AREPT stated that Tweah’s appearance was necessary because of the strategic role he occupied as Finance Minister during the period under review, noting that all decisions relating to public expenditure, authorization of payments, and financial oversight ultimately passed through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
Investigators argued that obtaining direct testimony from the former minister was essential in establishing whether proper financial procedures were followed or whether there existed deliberate efforts to circumvent accountability mechanisms established under Liberian financial laws and regulations.
“The Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force has in its possession credible documentary records and other supporting evidence suggesting that funds earmarked for the national rice subsidy initiative may have been diverted, misapplied, and unlawfully utilized contrary to the stated objectives of the program and in violation of the laws of the Republic of Liberia,” the letter to Tweah stated.
“In view of the seriousness of these allegations and your strategic role as Minister of Finance and Development Planning during the implementation of the rice subsidy program, you are hereby invited to appear before the Task Force to assist ongoing investigations regarding acts which may constitute theft of property, economic sabotage, criminal facilitation, conspiracy, and the misapplication of entrusted public resources,” another section of the letter emphasized.
But in a swift and strongly worded response, Tweah rejected any suggestion of wrongdoing and accused elements within the current administration of using state institutions to intimidate political opponents and settle partisan scores.
Writing publicly shortly after news of the summons emerged, the former Finance Minister disclosed that his legal counsel, Cllr. Arthur Johnson had informed him about the communication from AREPT and had already taken steps to formally receive the letter on his behalf.
Tweah insisted that while he remained respectful of legal processes, he would not allow himself to become the victim of what he described as politically orchestrated harassment disguised as anti-corruption enforcement.
His response immediately drew significant public attention across social media platforms and political circles, with supporters portraying him as a target of state persecution following the government’s failure to secure a conviction in the US$6.2 million economic sabotage case.
Tweah further escalated the political dimension of the controversy by framing the investigation as part of a pattern of democratic backsliding and abuse of state power under the current administration.
He argued that Liberia’s democratic progress was being threatened by efforts to silence dissenting voices and criminalize former officials associated with the previous government. Invoking the sacrifices of past national figures and democratic martyrs, Tweah maintained that he would not surrender to intimidation or abandon his commitment to defending constitutional freedoms and political plurality in Liberia.
He also announced plans to launch a national policy discourse under the Center for Economic and Institutional Reform, where he intended to openly address what he described as governance failures, institutional weaknesses, and democratic challenges confronting the country under President Boakai’s administration.
The former minister additionally suggested that the timing of the summons was suspicious, especially coming just days after the dramatic collapse of the government’s earlier prosecution against him and several former officials in the US$6.2 million case.
According to Tweah, the repeated emergence of high-profile allegations immediately after legal setbacks for the government reinforced public perceptions that certain investigations were being driven more by political calculations than by genuine evidence of wrongdoing. He maintained that accountability should never be transformed into a weapon of political retaliation, warning that Liberia risked undermining public confidence in its justice system if anti-corruption efforts became entangled with partisan interests and personal vendettas.
“My lawyer, the distinguished Cllr. Arthur Johnson, informed me that officials of the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force indicated they had a communication for me, and I instructed him to officially receive the letter on my behalf because I respect lawful procedures and constitutional processes,” Tweah declared.
“I, Samuel D. Tweah, Jr., will never bow to political intimidation, coercion, or blackmail disguised as accountability. Liberia’s democracy was built through sacrifice, courage, and resistance against abuse of power, and no government should believe it can silence opposition voices through fear and selective prosecution,” Tweah stated in his response.
“The Liberian people deserve accountability, but they also deserve fairness, justice, and the protection of democratic principles. We cannot allow anti-corruption institutions to become instruments of political persecution against those who hold differing views or once served under another administration,” Tweah further asserted.
The latest controversy has since triggered intense reactions from both opposition supporters and members of the ruling establishment, deepening national debate over whether the government’s anti-corruption campaign is genuinely impartial or politically selective.
Several supporters of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) quickly accused the government of weaponizing state institutions to target former officials linked to the Weah administration, while members of the ruling Unity Party defended the Task Force’s actions as necessary for strengthening public accountability and restoring confidence in governance.
Varney Brown criticized the government’s handling of the matter, arguing that the repeated investigations against Tweah reflected political desperation rather than genuine justice. Brown said the unfolding situation risked damaging Liberia’s democratic credibility and warned against using state power to pursue political grudges instead of national reconciliation and institutional reform.
“This reckless abuse of power, driven by emotion and political bitterness, has no place in a democracy. You cannot hunt citizens because of grudges, and you certainly cannot deceive a nation that is fully awake to what is happening,” Brown declared.
Sunny Clan also questioned the credibility and neutrality of the Asset Recovery process, maintaining that the government risked weakening legitimate anti-corruption efforts by appointing individuals who may have political disagreements with former officials under investigation. He argued that the institution should focus on professional investigations rather than what he described as political retaliation.
“This entity was created to properly investigate and recover government assets, not to settle personal or political scores. If professionalism and neutrality are absent, most of these cases will collapse because the process itself will be compromised,” Clan stated.
Benedict Kolubah dismissed the allegations against Tweah as legally weak and politically motivated, insisting that public announcements regarding subsidy programs should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of criminal conduct. Kolubah argued that financial accountability should be based on actual disbursements and implementation records rather than political assumptions.
“The letter speaks about money being announced instead of clearly establishing whether the funds were actually disbursed in the manner being alleged. The Minister of Finance cannot be criminally blamed for political announcements alone. This looks more like political witch-hunting than serious legal work,” Kolubah asserted.
Sampson Jones criticized what he described as repeated politically driven prosecutions against former government officials, arguing that emotional and partisan motivations were weakening the credibility of the government’s legal pursuits.
“They will continue bringing cases based on sentiments and political feelings, and they will continue losing because accusations without solid evidence cannot survive genuine legal scrutiny,” Jones remarked.
J
eremiah Solomon also weighed in on the controversy, emphasizing that national accountability efforts should not be overshadowed by inflammatory political rhetoric and partisan confrontations. Solomon called for all parties to allow the legal process to proceed peacefully and transparently.
“Liberia’s institutions must be allowed to function without unnecessary political tension. The country needs accountability, but it also needs calm, fairness, and respect for due process from both government and opposition actors,” Solomon stated.
Meanwhile, Amos Singbeh defended the government’s actions and urged Tweah to cooperate fully with investigators instead of framing the matter as political persecution. Singbeh argued that public officials entrusted with national resources should always be prepared to account for their stewardship regardless of political affiliation.
“The government is not witch-hunting Samuel D. Tweah Jr. What the government is demanding is accountability from people who once managed public resources on behalf of the Liberian people. We must stop turning every national issue into partisan conflict and instead put Liberia first,” Singbeh emphasized.
