-CDC Figures Face Legal Pressure
By Jerromie S. Walters & Vaye A. Lepolu
MONROVIA – Two prominent former officials of the Coalition for Democratic Change administration find themselves at the center of separate but simultaneous legal firestorms, as Nora Finda Bundoo was remanded to Monrovia Central Prison hours before 15 jurors were jailed and a major trial verdict that favored former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah was overturned.
Tweah has condemned as a politically motivated “kangaroo farce” targeting the opposition. Criminal Court “C” Presiding Judge Ousman F. Feika on Tuesday ordered the immediate arrest and detention of all 15 jurors who served in a high-profile case, following an investigation that uncovered extensive jury tampering and misconduct that has resulted in the verdict being set aside.
In a separate proceeding, Bundoo—former Chief of Protocol to ex-President George Weah—was remanded after Judge Feika rejected her second bond application and demanded a valid surety of US $8 million in connection with a multimillion-dollar money laundering case.
The developments have sent shockwaves through Liberia’s political landscape, with opposition figures and analysts viewing the simultaneous legal actions against former CDC administration officials as part of a broader government campaign against the opposition.
Tweah, who was among those acquitted in the original trial now overturned, has refused to participate in further legal proceedings, declaring, “We have left the law and are now in the full realm of politics.”
The investigation’s claims:
The jury tampering investigation revealed that multiple cell phones and SIM cards were secretly brought into the jury quarters, with call-log analyses showing most jurors communicated with outsiders while sequestered. A recorded telephone conversation was played in open court in which juror George Dennis was heard encouraging fellow jurors to deny the presence of phones.
Juror Arnold Vincent was found to have misled the court by claiming his phone had been stolen, when records showed his number remained active during sequestration. The court identified two telephone numbers—0886500698 and 0886500689—that maintained extensive contact with nearly all jurors during the trial and directed authorities to investigate individuals linked to them.
Those found to have influenced or attempted to influence the jurors will face prosecution where evidence supports such charges.
Moreover, the investigation found that jurors discussed the case among themselves before formal deliberations and, after the investigation commenced, allegedly met to agree on a common story denying that phones were present in the jury quarters.
The court ruled that the misconduct compromised the integrity of the jury’s verdict delivered on May 8, 2026, rendering the trial fundamentally unfair. Consequently, the verdict has been set aside and a new trial ordered. The Ministry of Justice is expected to commence criminal proceedings against the 15 jurors and any additional individuals implicated.
Tweah, an influential former finance minister, has vehemently rejected the court’s decision to overturn the verdict, characterizing it as a politically motivated attack. “No judge, no justice and no President can ever change my NOT GUILTY verdict. It is etched in the history of our country! The kangaroo farce handed down today is just that: a kangaroo ruling,” he declared.
Tweah announced he will not participate in any further legal proceedings, instructing his legal team to file nothing before the Supreme Court. “My legal journey has since ended with my verdict,” he stated. “I remain a free man.”
Finda Sleeps Behind Bars:
In Bundoo’s case, the former protocol chief surrendered to state security on Tuesday hours after the court rejected her proposed criminal appearance bond. She is one of more than 40 co-defendants facing trial for the alleged misappropriation and laundering of over US $6 million and 800 million Liberian dollars between 2020 and 2023.
The Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce has charged her with money laundering, theft of property, misuse of public funds, forgery, criminal conspiracy, and abuse of office. Prosecutors allege Bundoo used her daughter, Anita Jallah, and two front companies—Anita Group of Companies and Anita Business Center—to conceal, move, and launder diverted public resources.
Bundoo returned to Liberia in June 2026 after previously being declared at large.
Her detention follows a controversial funeral tribute she delivered on July 18, 2026, in which she publicly aligned herself with President Joseph Boakai’s administration while accusing unnamed former associates of conspiring to have her incarcerated.
“They said I must be at South Beach,” Bundoo declared, notably omitting any mention of former President Weah, whom she served as protocol chief for six years. Political observers have interpreted Bundoo’s remarks, alongside Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah’s recent departure from the CDC, as part of a coordinated realignment of influential figures from Lofa County—President Boakai’s home stronghold—toward the current administration.
Both Bundoo and Fallah hail from Lofa County’s Foya region. Fallah, a senior CDC legislative tactician, faced expulsion from the party following a bitter public dispute after he deserted the party to co-preside over an opposition bloc that attempted to oust House Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa, a CDC loyalist.
Some members of the opposition have expressed growing concerns that the government is systematically targeting former CDC officials, pointing to a pattern of legal actions against prominent opposition figures. Critics believe that the government of using the judiciary to settle political scores.
Bundoo’s legal team has indicated they will move swiftly to secure her release through a revised bond application. The court has warned that all individuals found to have participated in unlawful communications with jurors or attempted to influence the outcome of the trial will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
