Former Finance Minister Samuel Tweah and his lead defense lawyer, Cllr. Arthur Johnson, on Friday walked out of an ongoing investigation into the alleged mismanagement of the US$20.5 million rice subsidy program, citing what they described as “disrespectful treatment” by investigators at the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT).
Speaking to reporters after leaving the premises, Cllr. Johnson accused AREPT of attempting to “demoralize” the former finance minister by allegedly making them wait in a public sitting area instead of taking them directly to the investigation room.
“When you are calling a party or a former official for investigation, you must give deference and respect to them,” Johnson said. “You cannot keep us sitting or waiting in the hallway. It’s an attempt to demoralize the former Finance Minister.”
However, AREPT Public Relations Officer Joseph Daniels rejected the claims, stating that Tweah and his entourage arrived about 20 minutes late for the scheduled 10:00 a.m. appearance and refused to comply with standard security and registration procedures.
“Usually, when you go to an institution, there are protocols,” Daniels explained. “All those who enter are required to sign in at the receptionist desk. While that process was going on, they decided to leave on grounds that their time was being wasted.”
Daniels described the incident as unfortunate and emphasized the need for all citizens to cooperate with ongoing investigations.
