Deputy Finance Minister for Budget and Development Planning at the Ministry of Finance and Development planning Tanneh Brunson on Tuesday appeared before criminal court C” to testify in the ongoing economic sabotage case involving former finance minister Samuel Tweah and other co-defendants as the prosecution subpoenaed witness.
Our correspondent said the Deputy Minister’s testimony appears to undermine a key claim made by the state lead witness .
On Monday, April 13, defense counsel wrapped up cross-examination of lead investigator Baba Boika , exposing gaps between his conclusions and Brunson’s earlier statement to the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC).
Boika had cited Brunson’s LACC interview to argue that a transaction exceeding L$1.05 billion and US$500,000 was illegal because it bypassed the standard budgetary allotment process overseen by her office at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP).
Under questioning from defense counsel Cllr. Johnson, Boika was pressed to point to where Brunson explicitly called the transaction “illegal” in her statement. Before he could answer, prosecutors objected that “the evidence speaks for itself.” And it was sustained , cutting off the line of inquiry.
Brunson: ‘’Technically Possible’’ During Emergencies
Taking the stand Tuesday, April 14,2026 at criminal court C” Brunson confirmed she was unaware of the transaction at the time because it did not go through the customary allotment channel. She explained that direct debits of this nature are typically handled by the Office of the Comptroller and Accounting General through formal requests to the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL).
Crucially, Brunson testified that while the transaction was procedurally irregular, it was “technically possible” under emergency conditions. She cited the COVID-19 pandemic as an example of when urgent fiscal demands force government to act outside normal budgetary channels. “The budget is a projection,” she told the court. “Funds are not always readily available, and government may act swiftly under fiscal pressure.”
Brunson stopped short of labeling the transaction illegal. That distinction directly challenges investigator Boika interpretation and a central premise of the prosecution’s case: that any expenditure outside pre-approved allotments is unlawful.
The prosecution also called CBL official Theophilus Lamin, who denied receiving funds on behalf of national security. His testimony, however, was marred by inconsistencies, particularly around his access to the bank vault. At one point, Cllr. Johnson illustrated the volume of cash involved by comparing it to roughly 25 bags of rice at 100 kilograms each, questioning how one individual could physically move it. The analogy drew laughter in the courtroom.
Johnson further probed whether Lamin’s statements were shaped by concerns over national security protocols or his own job security.
With the prosecution’s witness list reportedly nearing its end, and with several remaining witnesses viewed as less compelling, the defense is positioning to take control of the narrative once it presents its case.
Brunson’s testimony marks a pivotal turn. The case is shifting from an allegation of clear-cut illegality to a contest over how Liberia’s financial rules are interpreted under emergency pressure. For prosecutors, the burden is to prove criminal intent and violation of law beyond administrative deviation.
For the defense, Brunson’s words may be enough to establish reasonable doubt.
