Published: April 1, 2026
MONROVIA — A leaked audio recording purportedly involving Liberia Football Association (LFA) presidential aspirant Cassell Anthony Kuoh has triggered allegations of political interference in a court ruling that halted the LFA electoral process, prompting calls for an independent investigation.
In the recording, a voice identified as Kuoh alleges that Vice President Jeremiah Kpahn Koung influenced Judge Peter W. Gbeneweleh of the Civil Law Court, who issued a permanent injunction against the election.
The audio also references Judge Joseph Kollie of the Labor Court, a co-opted member of the LFA Executive Committee. According to the recording, Kuoh claims Kollie initially advised against the injunction, but that the judge’s position later changed following alleged contact with Koung.
“That identical injunction yesterday, that the vice president himself told the people to go ahead with it,” the voice identified as Kuoh says in the recording.
The source and authenticity of the audio—believed to be from a telephone conversation—have not been independently verified by The Liberian Investigator.
Nevertheless, its circulation has intensified scrutiny over the integrity of the judicial process and the potential role of political actors in sports governance disputes.
Kuoh has strongly denied the claims, describing the recording as fabricated.
“At no time have I ever engaged in any such conversation, nor have I sought, directly or indirectly, to influence any judicial officer,” he said in a statement. “I categorically disassociate myself from the said recording and any suggestion contained therein.”
He further described the audio as part of a coordinated effort to undermine his candidacy and discredit ongoing legal proceedings involving the LFA.
“The timing of this fabricated recording, coming immediately after the lawful issuance of an injunction by the court, is not accidental,” Kuoh said. “It is calculated. It is desperate. And it is dangerous.”
Kuoh has filed multiple legal challenges against the LFA, including a request for an injunction following the release of electoral guidelines that require candidates to meet statutory criteria, including provisions barring individuals with records of fraud or financial misconduct.
His legal team has also petitioned the Supreme Court of Liberia to interpret Article 58.1 of the LFA statutes, which bars individuals convicted of criminal offenses from contesting.
Kuoh previously served a seven-year prison sentence in the United States after being convicted in a multimillion-dollar fraud case—an issue central to the ongoing dispute over his eligibility.
The controversy has drawn a response from the Civil Society Coalition Against Fraud, which is calling for Judge Gbeneweleh to recuse himself and for an independent review of the allegations.
“This call is not a declaration of guilt, but a necessary safeguard to ensure that justice is both done and seen to be done,” the group said in a statement signed by Secretary-General Victor Hayes.
The coalition also raised concerns about alleged involvement by the Office of the Vice President in judicial proceedings, warning that, if substantiated, such actions could amount to a serious abuse of power.
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