What we establish on the Senator Twayen $350K Bribe from Ivanhoe-Liberia

By Uriah Suah Nimba Fellow

Claim: Senator Nya D. Twayen Jr. Received US$350,000 for public relations work.

Source: Armstrong Gobac Selekpoh, former Nimba County senatorial candidate (via Facebook)

Verdict: Misleading and Unproven

Full Text: On June 13, 2025, Armstrong Gobac Selekpoh, a former Nimba County senatorial candidate and current executive director of the Nimba Education Guide, published a post on Facebook alleging that Ivanhoe Liberia paid Senator Nya D. Twayen Jr. the amount of US$350,000. According to Selekpoh, the payment was made for "discreet government relations work."

The post included an image purporting to be a “Cash Confirmation Note” with the logo of Ivanhoe Liberia and bearing what appears to be the senator’s signature.

As of the time of verification, the post had received 32 reactions, 75 comments, and 2 shares.

Selekpoh, an outspoken critic in the ongoing debate over ArcelorMittal Liberia’s concession, suggested that Senator Twayen’s criticism of AML was a distraction tactic while allegedly performing public relations for a competitor—Ivanhoe Liberia.

Who is Senator Nya D. Twayen Jr.?

Senator Twayen was elected in 2024 following a by-election triggered by the elevation of former Senator Jeremiah Kpan Koung to Vice President. He has since been active in raising concerns about AML’s compliance with its Mineral Development Agreement (MDA), citing multiple violations.

About Ivanhoe Liberia

Ivanhoe Liberia is a subsidiary of High Power Exploration (HPX) and is involved in infrastructure and mining development in Liberia. The company operates under the support of Euronimba UK, also owned by HPX. Ivanhoe Liberia established a Monrovia office in 2021 and holds political risk insurance through the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), part of the World Bank Group.

In March 2022, the company signed a framework agreement with the Liberian government for access to key rail and port infrastructure. In July 2024, Henrique Caine was appointed country manager.

Verification Process : TSM contacted Senator Twayen via WhatsApp but received no response. However, Mentor Gborlay, his chief of office staff, responded by phone and denied any affiliation between the senator and Ivanhoe Liberia.

Gborlay further claimed that the signature on the alleged cash confirmation note was forged, stating it was extracted from a document the senator publicly posted on June 11, 2025, relating to an EPA request about ArcelorMittal’s proposed US$1.4 billion iron ore plant in Yekepa. Notably, Selekpoh’s post came two days later, on June 13.

Similarly, TSM sent a formal inquiry to Ivanhoe Liberia seeking clarification. The only response received was

"Hi P, Thank you for your communication. Someone from Ivanhoe, Liberia, will respond to you shortly." But, as of publication, no further communication had been received. When they do, this article will be updated.

TSM examined the document Selekpoh used to support his claim and identified multiple red flags:

❌ No official company letterhead (no address, contact, or registration number)
❌ No company stamp or signature from an Ivanhoe representative
❌ No legal or financial witness signatures (notary, auditor, etc.)
❌ No location or verifiable date of signing
❌ “Nimba” is incorrectly spelled as “NAMBA”
❌ No banking or account verification details
❌ Only the alleged recipient’s (Senator Twayen’s) signature appears
❌ Document admits to funds received but lacks any confirmation of origin or signature.

Conclusion : There is no credible evidence to support the claim that Senator Nya D. Twayen Jr. received US$350,000 from Ivanhoe Liberia for public relations or any other government-related assignment. The document used to substantiate the claim is riddled with inconsistencies, lacks basic verification features, and appears to bear a forged signature.