Monrovia – Anticipation is high as former President George Weah is set to deliver a major address today, following the recent indictment and suspension of several former top officials on corruption allegations.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
The indictments
On Tuesday, the government, through the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and the Ministry of Justice, indicted former Finance Minister Samuel Tweah, former National Security Advisor Jefferson Karmoh, former Solicitor General Cllr. Nyenati Tuan, former Comptroller of the Financial Intelligence Unit D. Moses P. Cooper, and former Director General of the Financial Intelligence Agency Stanley Ford.
Cllr. Tuan, Karmoh, and Cooper were imprisoned after failing to present a criminal appearance bond, as they could not afford the amount required for economic sabotage. Judge Ben Barcon denied their request for a personal recognizance bond, despite their prominence.
Tweah, another defendant, is reportedly out of the country in neighboring Cote d’Ivoire. Writing on his Facebook page, he described the charges and subsequent arrest of his co-defendants as a “total witch hunt.” Ford has not been accounted for.
What Will Weah Say?
Following his loss to President Joseph Boakai in the November presidential runoff election, former President Weah won the admiration of fellow Liberians and the international community when he graciously conceded. He pledged his cooperation with the incoming President and his team to ensure a smooth transition. And he did.
For the first six months, Weah kept his cool and lived quietly as a private citizen. Then at the beginning of this month the former President re-entered the political scene with pointed criticisms of Boakai.
In a phone-in interview with Freedom FM, the ex-president said Boakai was not the change Liberians need in this new era.
Weah accused the Boakai-led government of dishonesty, claiming that officials are not genuinely interested in positive change but have returned to Liberia due to lack of success abroad.
He said: “You wanted change, but Boakai was not the change. Those who left the country and now claim to return for change are not sincere. They are here because their situations abroad were not prosperous.”
The government disagreed. Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah called on him to act as a statesman to be treated as such.
He has not said much since then.
However, his stalwarts have announced his return to the podium under the sycamore tree. The nation waits with bated breath to hear from the man who led Liberia for six years, as he breaks his silence on the unfolding scandal that has rocked his party and by extension, the country’s political landscape. And as Weah’s perspective is eagerly awaited amid widespread speculation about the content and tone of his speech, FrontPage Africa takes a look at what he might address.
Condemn prosecution of former officials
It is highly expected that Weah will take a firm stance against the government for going after his officials. While he has not spoken publicly since the government drew up the indictment, his lieutenants have already condemned the government’s move.
Jefferson Koijee, CDC Secretary General, speaking shortly following the indictment, and subsequent incarceration, said “Any attempt to politicize the peace and weaponize the Judiciary will be defaced and met with stiff resistance. The Liberian Mohammed Morsi is in the making.”
Despite his outburst, the CDC Secretary General called on all citizens, especially partisans of the CDC to remain calm, adding that the National Executive Committee of the Party is in full control of the situation.
“We are in full control of the fruitless and senseless attempt of the Unity party to undermine the hard-earned credibility of the then CDC-led government. The UP will be defaced and vanquished subsequently,” he said.
Tweah himself termed his prosecution as a witch hunt. Writing on his Facebook page, Tweah described the charges and subsequent arrest of his co-defendants as a “total witch hunt.”
He said over the last six years, he has been a major political target and has faced “falsely devilish accusations, spanning from a so-called 25 million mop-up propaganda through the 16 billion concoction to so many other fabrications intended to besmirch my reputation and derail my political institution.”
He vowed to vindicate himself in court. “Working with my lawyers and others, I stand ready to defeat this witch-hunt and vindicate my reputation through the justice system,” Tweah said. “In the end, I will emerge stronger and my enemies will be put to shame!”
While Weah is highly expected to condemn the government, some partisans are of the contrary view. A party stalwart, speaking on anonymity, said while majority members of the party view the government’s move as a witch hunt, it would be in President Weah and the party’s interest to endorse the prosecution of his former officials. According to the partisan, given his administration’s own struggles with corruption allegations, Weah should use this as an opportunity to distance himself from the actions of the indicted officials and reiterate his commitment to fighting corruption during his tenure.
“All Weah should do “is to stress the importance of due process and the rule of law. He should caution against a rush to judgment and call for a fair trial,” the partisan said.
Take Boakai to task on Tenure
The former President is expected to condemn the Boakai-Koung administration over its insistence on removing officials with tenure positions.
The Boakai administration has faced criticism for its attempts to remove Weah-era officials from tenured positions. Despite a Supreme Court ruling against stripping officials of their tenure, President Boakai suspended several tenured officials for alleged financial impropriety and administrative reasons, including all commissioners of the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA) and the Chairperson of the Governance Commission (GC). Central Bank Executive Governor Alloysius Tarlue is the latest casualty.
The suspension of Governor Tarlue, according to Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah, followed an audit of the CBL by the General Auditing Commission.
In his call-in program, Weah criticized the current administration for allegedly harassing tenured officials, a practice he claimed to have respected during his term. He noted the irony of Boakai, who served in the administration that created these tenured positions, now violating the law to remove officials.
Weah argued, “It is time for Liberians to hear us. Boakai has issues, and the disrespect to citizens is wrong. Respect the law; we inherited tenure jobs and respected them.”
Defend his record
The former president might defend his administration’s record, highlighting the efforts made to combat COVID-19 and keeping the price of essential commodities including rice and gasoline stable.