Monrovia, Liberia – A 12-member jury at the Second Judicial Circuit Court in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, unanimously found former Acting Chairman of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) Abdullah L. Kamara not guilty of all corruption-related charges. The ruling brings an end to one of Liberia’s most widely watched corruption trials, which was triggered by accusations related to the government’s Digital Transformation Program.
The CEO of Tamma Corporation, Kamara, was cleared of six charges. Economic sabotage, criminal conspiracy, property theft, misuse entrusted public funds, and abusing public resources were among these accusations. The indictment also named Tamma Corporation, which was cleared of all charges. Kamara and his business were charged by prosecutors from the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) with fraudulently obtaining and spending around US$52,000 and LRD 2.5 million meant for a digital training program that would help 10,000 young Liberians.
The prosecution alleged that the funds were acquired under false pretences during the project’s execution. Kamara was dismissed from his position as the LTA’s Acting Chairman by President Joseph Boakai due to the allegations made throughout the legal proceedings. Throughout the trial, Kamara maintained his innocence and asserted that neither he nor Tamma Corporation had committed any crimes. His defence team claims that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence to back up the charges.
After months of judicial proceedings, the jury unanimously found Kamara and Tamma Corporation not guilty on all six counts. For Kamara, who has been fighting the allegations since the LACC presented it, the acquittal represents a significant legal win. The criminal procedures against Kamara and his business have essentially ended with the verdict.
According to legal analysts, the result emphasized the significance of evidence-based prosecutions and the difficulty prosecutors have in establishing corruption accusations beyond a reasonable doubt. Following the verdict, neither government prosecutors nor the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission immediately responded to the public.
Because of its link to Liberia’s Digital Transformation Program and larger national initiatives to improve accountability and transparency in the administration of public resources, the case garnered a lot of public attention. Following Kamara’s acquittal, focus is now anticipated to shift to how the decision may affect upcoming anti-corruption cases and public trust in Liberia’s legal system.
