MONROVIA – Two men, Andrew Sleh Lawson and Albert Weah, have accused the National Security Agency (NSA) of subjecting them to torture and inhumane treatment in a bid to extract confessions linking them to the December 18, 2024, Capitol Building fire.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
The men, who are staffers of House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa, were arrested as part of the ongoing investigation into the “arson” incident.
Speaking in a live interview on Spoon Network, the two men alleged that they were unlawfully detained for 12 days, during which they endured severe torture at the hands of the police and NSA agents.
Allegations of Torture
Andrew Sleh Lawson recounted being stripped naked, severely beaten, and subjected to threats against his family. He claimed that NSA operatives pressured him to falsely admit that Speaker Koffa had paid him to burnt the Capitol Building.
“They threatened to kill my wife and children if I didn’t confess,” Lawson said.
“They said, ‘If you don’t tell the truth, we will go for your children! I told them my children are innocent and refused to lie on someone, but they continued to beat me.”
Lawson also alleged that he was threatened with sexual violence and placed in an isolated section of the NSA compound, where operatives told him he could be attacked by snakes.
Albert Weah shared a similar ordeal. He alleged that NSA operatives tied his face, stripped him naked, and pressured him to admit he had been paid by Speaker Koffa to commit the arson. Like Lawson, Weah claimed he was beaten with water-filled bottles, causing severe internal pain despite no visible bruises.
Weah added that he was detained during a protest on December 17, 2024, and sent to jail. He insisted he was still in custody at the Monrovia Central Prison when the Capitol fire occurred on December 18. He was released on December 19 but was rearrested on January 4, 2025, and first to the LNP headquarters. Four days later, he and Lawson were taken to NSA headquarters, where they spent eight days in inhumane conditions.
Freed but Living in Fear
The two men, now released, alleged that they were warned by security officials not to disclose their ordeal or face death. Lawson appealed to the international community to grant them asylum, citing ongoing threats to their lives.
Weah revealed that after his release, he sought medical treatment but is still experiencing internal pain and vomiting blood.
Similar Allegations from another Suspect
The allegations by Lawson and Weah mirror claims made by Thomas Etheridge, another suspect in the Capitol fire case.
Etheridge previously accused law enforcement of using extreme interrogation methods, including waterboarding and excessive beating, to force a confession.
Justice Minister Denies Torture Claims
The accusations surfaced shortly after Justice Minister Oswald Tweh dismissed similar claims by Etheridge. Speaking at a program marking the dedication of 21 vehicles for county attorneys and legal counsels, Tweh described the allegations as “false, condemnable, and designed to undermine the ongoing investigation.”
Tweh assured the public that independent investigators had been invited to probe the torture allegations. “The Ministry of Justice will not shield anyone from accountability, regardless of their status,” Tweh said.
Public Outcry and Calls for Accountability
The allegations by Etheridge, Lawson, and Weah have sparked widespread public concern, with many questioning the methods used by law enforcement in high-profile investigations. Advocacy groups and citizens are calling for a thorough, transparent investigation to hold those responsible for any abuses accountable.
The Capitol Building fire, which destroyed the Joint Chamber, remains under investigation, with authorities pledging to bring all perpetrators to justice. However, the growing allegations of human rights violations are raising serious questions about the conduct of Liberia’s security apparatus in pursuing the truth.
