No Evidence That LPRC Boss Tweh Purchased US$150K House
By Varney Dukuly
Claim: Shine Liberia reported that LPRC Managing Director Amos Tweh purchased a USD 150K house shortly after his appointment.
Verdict: Misleading. Shine Liberia could not prove its accusation with evidence. Tweh, however, has debunked the claim.
Full Text
Amos Tweh, the new Managing Director of the Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company (LPRC), has been accused of purchasing a house valued at US$150,000 just weeks after his appointment.
One of Liberia’s social media blogs, Shine Liberia, made this claim. According to the report, Amos’ house is currently at the lintel level.
Shine Liberia also suggested that the new LPRC MD's decision to buy the house ensures he acquires property early enough, as he fears President Boakai will not return in 2029.
“You must do everything to get more properties and money to take care of you for the rest of your life,” said Shine Liberia.
The claim, made on March 16, 2024, has generated over 1.1k comments, 1k emojis, and 83 shares.
In the face of the growing public interest, we at DUBAWA decided to fact-check the information.
Verification
Firstly, the researcher demanded pieces of evidence from Shine Liberia via Messenger to provide better details about the claims. However, there has since been no response.
For his part, the new LPRC MD, Amos Tweh, dismissed the claim by describing it as ‘Nonsense.’
Tweh wrote on his official Facebook page: “Pekin, you and your sponsors need to try harder. For the public good, let me state that in 2013, I acquired 1.9 plots of land in Caldwell to build a residential area.”
He said he mobilized his meager resources and started the project in 2014, partially completing the ground floor and moving in around 2019.
“I have been living here for almost five years now. I am told in your usual anger-ranting and smear campaign against my person. You are insinuating that after I was appointed Managing Director of LPRC, I immediately bought this house for 150k. Nonsense!”
According to Mr Tweh, the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) records him paying real estate tax on this property for the last few years.
He further stated that the UP government has a firm policy focusing on public service integrity. “If you know me too well, you will never contemplate writing such trash,” he added.
Weeks after Tweh’s denial, Shine Liberia has yet to substantiate the claim against the LPRC boss with evidence.
DUBAWA proceeded to the Liberia Revenue Authority, asking for evidence of Mr Tweh's property tax payment. However, the Authority, through its communication, did not confirm or deny Tweh’s disclosure that the Revenue Authority has a record of his tax history.
“The law forbids me from providing such information to you,” Kaiheneh Sengbeh, the LRA's communication manager, told DUBAWA.
The country’s Revenue Code of 2000 as Amended 2011, particularly Part 1, Chapter 1, subchapter B, Section 54 (a), (b) and © forbids officials of the LRA from sharing taxpayers’s information in their possession with third parties unless such party has authority over tax matters.
Sengbeh: “If another journalist were to ask me for your tax information, I would not reveal the same.”
Though the Revenue Authority wouldn’t say how much he is paying on the property or when he started payment, Amos shared pictures of the house with DUBAWA from years ago when it was under construction.
Here are the house photographs:
His statement was corroborated by another resident of the community who, upon hearing information that Amos had purchased a new house weeks after his appointment by the President, said on Facebook:
“Shine Liberia is spreading false and misleading information about Honorable Amos B. Tweh,” Anthony J. Wah said.
“The land was purchased in 2013, and by 2014, construction work began, and by the middle of 2019, the entire ground floor and portion of the first floor was completed. Let it be clear here that Honourable Tweh didn't buy any property while serving as Managing Director of LPRC.”
In addition, Mr Wah also passed a messenger conversation he had in 2017 with Tweh during the construction of the building.
See screenshot below:
Conclusion
Based on our investigation, including Shine Liberia's failure to respond to our inquiries and the clarity of the accused, the claim lacks the semblance of truth and is, therefore, misleading.