Monrovia – The Supreme Court of Liberia has ordered a temporary suspension of proceedings in the high-profile corruption case involving former senior government officials.
By Willie Tokpah
The court’s directive, issued by Justice in Chambers Ceaineh D. Clinton-Johnson Friday, halts all further action in the trial until a review is conducted on March 10, when a conference will be held to consider a writ of prohibition filed by the petitioners.
The petitioners, which include former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah, former Acting Minister of Justice Cllr. Nyenati Tuan, former Director of the Financial Intelligence Agency Stanley S. Ford, former Comptroller D. Moses P. Cooper, and former National Security Advisor Jefferson Karmoh, have raised legal objections regarding the handling of the case by the trial court. They argue that there have been procedural errors and mismanagement by Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie of the First Judicial Circuit, Criminal Assizes “C” for Montserrado County.
The petitioners are seeking the intervention of the Supreme Court to halt the trial, claiming that the trial court has overstepped its jurisdiction in managing the case. A writ of prohibition is a legal mechanism used to stop lower courts from continuing with actions that may have been conducted improperly.
The Supreme Court’s ruling has delayed further progress in the trial, which involves serious allegations of economic sabotage, fraud, theft, illegal disbursement of public funds, and money laundering.
These charges carry significant weight as Liberia continues to tackle corruption.
The petitioners’ request for the writ of prohibition will be reviewed during the conference on March 10 at 9:00 a.m. If granted, the trial will be temporarily suspended while the claims are considered.
In addition to the legal review, Jefferson Karmoh, one of the accused, has filed a motion for a separate trial. His legal team argues that his involvement in the alleged crimes differs from his co-defendants and that trying all defendants together could compromise his right to a fair trial.
This motion will be considered alongside the writ of prohibition during the Supreme Court’s conference, adding complexity to the ongoing case.
