Monrovia, Liberia – July 4, 2025-In a fiery and unapologetic press conference, former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah Jr. broke his silence, slamming what he called a calculated smear campaign against him and the former ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). Speaking before a packed room of CDC partisans, journalists, and youth leaders, Tweah rejected allegations linking him to a fictitious $30 million COVID-19 scandal, describing the rumors as “malicious garbage” designed to destroy his reputation and distract from the real challenges facing Liberia.
The former minister singled out U.S.-based media personality Stanton Witherspoon, accusing him of leading a coordinated disinformation effort to malign his character. “For more than four years, Spoon Network has targeted me with lies and fabrications. Even now, out of government, they won’t let up,” Tweah said, adding that Witherspoon’s recent claims about his “pending arrest” over COVID-19 funds were a deliberate attempt to incite public fear and smear his legacy.
Armed with documents, video footage, and official correspondence, Tweah dismantled the allegations piece by piece. He explained that the $30 million referenced by Witherspoon was fully handled by the World Food Program (WFP) and not by the Ministry of Finance. The WFP, he noted, received $25 million from the IMF and $5 million from the World Bank to lead the COVID-19 Household Food Support Program. “The money never even stayed in our consolidated account for a full day,” he said. “Every dollar went straight to the WFP, which administered the program with global oversight.”
He further revealed that leftover funds from the program were later reallocated with the current government’s full approval to school feeding initiatives. “If I had approved that reallocation instead of the current minister, they would have said I used the money for CDC elections,” he remarked. “The double standards are shocking.”
Tweah announced he has instructed his legal team to file a libel lawsuit against Witherspoon, calling the sustained attacks part of a larger culture of dishonesty in Liberian politics. “We cannot fight corruption by lying on innocent people. Those determined to weaponize falsehoods must be resisted,” he warned. “This isn’t just about me it’s about the soul of our national discourse.”
The press conference ended with a bold declaration: “If this is the battle they want, then let it be legal, political, and intellectual. I will not back down.”
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