Counselor Amara Sheriff, lead defense attorney for Abdullah L. Kamara, praised a 12-member jury Friday after it acquitted the former Acting Chairman of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) on all corruption counts, calling the verdict "a victory for truth" and "a restoration of faith in Liberia's jury system."
The unanimous not-guilty verdict came from the Second Judicial Circuit Court in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, ending a high-profile case that prosecutors said involved the misappropriation of over US$52,000 and L$2.5 million meant for a 2023 digital training initiative to empower 10,000 Liberian youths.
Six Counts, Six "Not Guilty"
Courtroom observers said the room fell silent as the foreman read "not guilty" to all six charges: economic sabotage, abuse of public finances, criminal conspiracy, theft, misapplication of entrusted property, and criminal facilitation. The counts carried potential prison terms of "long years" and were tied to allegations of economic sabotage.
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"Faith restored," Cllr. Sheriff told reporters outside the courthouse. "We the defence team are not the heroes -- the jurors are the heroes and heroines, and the country should be proud of them."
He added: "Today was not a celebration of the judiciary; it's a celebration of the jury system in the country. It shows that there are good men and women still in Liberia."
A Case That Moved from Monrovia to Buchanan
The trial reached Buchanan after Criminal Court 'C' Judge Ousman F. Feika granted Kamara's motion for change of venue in December 2025, citing constitutional guarantees for a speedy and fair trial. Kamara argued most material witnesses were set to travel outside Liberia in early 2026, making the move necessary to secure testimony.
The case stems from a General Auditing Commission report that flagged US$3.5 million in questionable disbursements to Tamma Corporation and other entities between July-November 2023. The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) later indicted Kamara and Tamma Corp, through CEO Fabian Laveland, alleging the firm was "hand-picked" without bidding, contracts, or LTA Board approval. 1c54
Twice Arrested, Twice Cleared
Kamara was first cleared on August 1, 2025, after Judge Joe S. Barkon ruled, he had resigned as Tamma's CEO on April 11, 2024 -- more than a year before the indictment -- and was wrongly named as the company's head. The Supreme Court upheld that decision.
But prosecutors returned with a fresh grand jury true bill on September 4, 2025, re-indicting Kamara on six counts tied to the Liberia Digital Transformation Project. He was briefly detained at Monrovia Central Prison before securing a US$295,033.33 criminal appearance bond. The new indictment claimed Tamma received L$262,844,500 and US$450,000 from LTA without proper procedure. 1c54
Defense: "Politically Motivated, Lacked Evidence"
Kamara pleaded not guilty throughout and maintained he had no authority over Tamma when the payments occurred. His lawyers told the court he stepped down as Tamma's CEO on May 10, 2024, and was replaced by Fabian Lavelanet, arguing the indictment "wrongly and illegally labeled" him as CEO. e7f5b9f1
Judge Barkon earlier questioned why LACC did not indict the new CEO or other officers when it knew Kamara had resigned, calling the designation "improper, unlawful, untenable, and contrary to the provisions of the Association Law". He added that if LACC believed Kamara committed crimes individually, it should have charged him separately, not as a corporate officer. 8277
Fallout for Anti-Corruption Drive
Legal observers say the acquittal deals "a significant blow to the government's prosecution" and may impact public confidence in anti-corruption efforts.
The LACC had also indicted former LTA Chairperson Edwina C. Zackpah, who remains outside Liberia, with efforts ongoing to secure her appearance. e7f53705
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President Joseph Boakai had suspended Kamara without pay in 2024 following the GAC report highlighting "grave financial irregularities" during his tenure as Tamma CEO. Kamara, in an internal memo, said he welcomed the investigation as a "moral and ethical duty" and urged the process to proceed "in accordance with the presumption of innocence". 446b8667
With Kamara now acquitted for the second time in the same matter, the government faces pressure to reassess its strategy in one of Liberia's most closely watched corruption cases.
Prosecutors had alleged the money was obtained under false pretenses through Kamara and his affiliated corporation, but the jury's rejection signals the state failed to prove its claims beyond reasonable doubt. e7f5
As Kamara left the Second Judicial Circuit Court vindicated, his defense team said the verdict proved "there are still in this country honest men and women who will deliver a verdict according to law and evidence".
