A deepening crisis now threatens the very foundations of the ongoing arson trial, as explosive allegations of jury tampering, direct Ministry of State intervention, and the manipulation of official records point to a possible conspiracy to subvert justice.
The scandal erupted when the prosecution moved to disqualify a seated juror, a challenge that was resoundingly defeated after the Jury Manager testified under oath that the juror had not served within the statutory period. The judge, relying on this sworn testimony, firmly qualified the juror. In a shocking and unprecedented move, the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs then allegedly inserted itself into the process, independently providing documents to the prosecution to fuel a renewed attack on the juror. This act of intervention by an executive branch entity, which holds no legal authority over jury administration, represents a blatant encroachment on the independence of the Judiciary.
The plot thickened days later when the Jury Manager returned to the stand and dramatically reversed his testimony. He now claimed a Jury Data Clerk had shown him a form proving the juror did serve in May 2025, directly contradicting his prior account. The timing of this reversal, coming only after the Ministry’s involvement and the judge’s ruling, has ignited serious suspicion that jury records were altered, fabricated, or produced under external pressure in a direct attempt to nullify the court’s authority.
In a bid to uncover the truth, the defense filed for subpoenas to compel testimony and documents from key figures, including the Assistant Minister for Administration and the Human Resource Director at the Ministry of State, as well as the Director of Data Entry for the Jury Management Office. They are demanding a full audit of the juror’s employment and payroll history, internal jury forms, and all documents provided by the Ministry, seeking to determine if a coordinated scheme to falsify records and manipulate the jury is underway.
Yet, in a move that has further fueled allegations of a state cover-up, Solicitor General Cllr. Augustine C. Fayiah vigorously opposed the subpoenas, dismissively characterizing the defense’s pursuit of transparency as a mere delay tactic. The defense has forcefully countered that the state’s resistance is itself evidence of a deeper malfeasance, arguing that the unexplained intervention by the Ministry and the sudden flip-flop in sworn testimony demand a full investigation.
This controversy is compounded by devastating separate reports that the Solicitor General was personally made aware of medical evidence confirming defendants in this very arson case were subjected to torture, yet he refused to order an inquiry and proceeded with the prosecution. This act constitutes a flagrant violation of Article 21(e) of the Liberian Constitution and the nation’s obligations under the UN Convention Against Torture.
The integrity of the entire judicial process now hangs in the balance. The central question is no longer a simple clerical error, but whether there exists a coordinated effort, reaching into the highest levels of the executive branch, to corrupt the jury and dictate the trial’s outcome by any means necessary.
