By Festus Poquie
Former Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel Tweah backs renewed probe into the death of the former Director General of the Internal Audit Agency Emmanuel Barthan Nyeswa.
Police in Monrovia Tuesday reopened inquest to the 2020 passing of the IAA Chief, nearingly four years after pathologists were inconclusive about the cause of his death unlike three other auditors who met the same fate.
Nyeswa was found lying at the foot of his apartment building on the night of October 9 “with blood flowing from his left ear,” according to the justice ministry report, and died the next day, October 10.
Pathologists did not rule out foul play. Whether the death was an accident, homicide or suicide “will require further police detective investigations,” they said.
Tweah, who was named along with three former officials to aide with the probe said “We welcome police investigation under a new Government to independently re-establish facts in a death of our dear friend and brother Barthan Nyeswa among other deaths that were politically weaponized!”
“On last Friday, I received a call from my brother Cllr Norris Tweah who informed me that the police was interested in speaking with persons who were either friends with Barthan, who may have been observed with him on the evening prior to his tragic incident, seen at his house or who may have visited the JFK Memorial hospital where he had been taken. Norris stated he had already spoken with the police and encouraged me to do the same.
“On the morning of the incident upon receiving a call from my brother Norris, reporting the incident, I had called Dr. Williameetta Jallah, the Government’s chief medical official and Mr Bill Twehway, another close friend of Barthan to report the incident and that we were all headed at the JFK where Barthan had been taken by Norris.
“Upon speaking to the police, I will release publicly the information I avail. I welcome this moment of authentic truth- telling and fact-finding so that the demons of lies, duplicity and propaganda that have long harried our people over the last six years for political purposes can hopefully and finally be exorcised and laid to rest! “