By Yassah J. Wright
In his testimony at the ongoing trial involving Samuel Tweah and others former government officials, a subpoena witness, William Grant Jopleh, testified that it was the former Financial Intelligent Agency (FIA) Comptroller D. Moses P. Cooper, who received the reported missing cheques on October 20, 2023.
By that, the scene at Criminal Court ‘C’ turned dramatic that exposed a troubling pattern of “unauthorized financial transactions.”
The transactions were at the heart of the ongoing high-profile corruption trial involving former senior government officials.
The presided over by Judge Ousman F. Feika, the prosecution presented key testimony suggesting that millions of dollars allegedly disbursed for “joint security operations” were neither approved by the National Security Council, nor supported by any documented emergency.
Defense lawyers objected to the admission of photocopied cheques, arguing that the prosecution failed to establish the whereabouts of original documents, a requirement under evidence rules.
But in his ruling, Judge Feika dismissed the objection, saying that the absence of originals had already been established through subpoena witnesses, who testified that the documents could not be found despite a “diligent search.”
Citing sections 25.6 of the Civil Procedure Law and 1.2 of the Criminal Procedure Law, the court ruled: “The defense has not demonstrated how such marking would affect the substantial rights of the defendants, to do otherwise will avert the true essence of justice and fair play.”
The photocopies were subsequently admitted as Exhibit P/6, marking a procedural victory for the prosecution.
The Controversial Letter
Central to the prosecution’s case is a September 5, 2023, letter allegedly authored by former Acting Justice Minister Nyanti Tuan, instructing FIA Director General Stanley S. Ford, to release funds to “joint security.”
The letter, copied to National Security Advisor Jefferson Karmoh, was introduced as Exhibit P/7.
“It was an instruction, that upon notification of funds, the FIA
should release the same to joint security without delay, but investigators found no supporting documentation to justify the request, Boika testified.
“Neither Karmoh, nor Tuan could establish that the fund in question was approved by the National Security Council,” Boika testified.
The prosecution alleges that the funds, totaling US$500,000 and over L$1.55 billion, were transferred to FIA accounts, and subsequently withdrawn by senior officials without accountability.
In his testimony further, Boika said: “monies were suspiciously transferred, and could not be accounted for by all of the defendants who initiated these transactions.”
The case originates from a 2023 investigation into alleged irregular withdrawals linked to national security spending.
The trial, now in its advanced stages, has drawn public interest, given the stature of the accused and the implications for governance and accountability.
With the prosecution continuing to build its case through documentary evidence and witness testimony, attention now shifts to how the defense will counter the mounting allegations, particularly the claim that “no lawful authorization existed for the controversial disbursements.”