-As Prosecution Rests with State Witnesses in Tweah, Others’ Case
By Vaye Lepolu
Monrovia, Liberia —Retired Major General Daniel D. Ziankahn, former Minister of National Defense, and retired Major General Prince Charles Johnson III, former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia, have told the court they had no knowledge of the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) being incorporated into Liberia’s Joint Security framework or receiving operational funds in 2023.
The two former senior security officials
appeared as prosecution witnesses on Thursday, April 16, 2026, in the former Finance Minister Samuel Tweah and others’ economic sabotage case. Taking the stand, Ziankahn testified that he was unaware of any decision to admit the FIA into the National Joint Security structure on July 5, 2023. He further stated that he had no knowledge of funds being disbursed through FIA accounts between September and October 2023 for joint security operations.
Johnson similarly told the court he had “no clue” about the FIA’s involvement in Joint Security activities or any related financial transactions during the same period.
Both witnesses, however, outlined the formal procedures governing national security operations. According to their testimony, the National Joint Security—chaired by the Minister of Justice and co-chaired by the Minister of Defense—requires that any new entity be admitted through a formal process.
This includes deliberation during official meetings, proper documentation in minutes, and final approval by the President as head of the National Security Council.
On funding, the witnesses explained that during national security emergencies, security agencies submit budgetary requests through the Ministry of Justice, which consolidates them and forwards them to the Ministry of Finance for approval and disbursement.
Defense attorneys repeatedly objected to portions of the testimony, citing provisions of Liberia’s National Security Reform and Intelligence Act of 2011, which restrict disclosure of classified security processes. The court, however, overruled the objections, allowing the witnesses to respond to the prosecution’s questions.
Also, the defense declined to cross-examine both witnesses.
