03/09/2026
*Former Solicitor General Cllr. Cephus writes* ✍🏻
Mr. Former Minister Tweh,
I was surprised by reports of your removal from the Ministry of Justice, and I took time to reflect on what may have informed the President’s decision.
You served during a difficult period. There were moments when the Ministry faced intense political pressure and legal storms, and to your credit you navigated some of them well.
However, three issues stand out and may have defined your tenure in the public eye:
1. The Prosecution of Samuel D. Tweah et al.
As Attorney General, you are the chief law officer of the Republic. All crimes are committed against the State, and the State is represented by the Minister of Justice. When the court on its own motion recalled a disbanded jury over allegations of jury tampering, it raised fundamental questions about prosecutorial control of the case. Your initial position that the acquittal of one defendant did not mean the government lost, while the convictions of others stood as a victory for the State, was a sound articulation of the law. The subsequent court action without an application from the State created a contradiction that weakened that position.
2. Receipt of Vehicle from the Liberia National Police.
Your public admission of receiving a vehicle from the Inspector General of Police, at a time when the LNP leadership faced serious public allegations, created a perception problem. Given the Code of Conduct for Public Officials, this matter ought to be clarified to protect both your reputation and the integrity of the Ministry. In the interest of transparency, the source of the vehicle should be investigated.
3. The Treatment of Former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor.
The manner in which the LNP handled Madam Jewel Howard Taylor, former First Lady, Senator, and Vice President, raised serious concerns. Regardless of the allegations, a woman of her age, health condition, and national stature deserved to be treated with the dignity the l