MONROVIA – Former Vice President Joseph Boakai, standard-bearer of the Unity Party, will today mount the witness stand to present oral evidence against Mr. Alexander Cummings of the ANC that he altered the CPP Framework Document.
Prior to the allegation of altering the Framework Document, Cummings and Boakai were the forerunners for the standard-bearer position of the CPP – a conglomerate of four opposition political parties aimed at unseating the CDC-led government in 2023.
Ironically, the men who once agreed to work together to unseat the Weah-led government are now at each other’s throats and the government they sought to unseat is now prosecuting one while the other is helping the government with the prosecution of his counterpart.
The allegation was brought up against Cummings by the political leader CPP constituent member Benoni Urey of the All Liberian Party (ALP) and was backed by Boakai and the Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence of the Liberty Party. The Liberty Party is split on the allegation against Cummings.
Cummings has consistently maintained his innocence and alleged that his colleagues in the CPP are being used by the ruling establishment to ruin his reputation as a strong contender in 2023.
Cummings also wondered why the allegation never came up until the CPP was gradually gearing up for the convention which would have elected the standard-bearer.
Mr. Boakai was first expected to testify at the court on April 19, but failed to show up as he also did receive the Writ of Subpoena filed at the time despite two attempts by the court sheriff to have him served.
According to Sheriff’s report to the court, On Friday, April 15, he proceeded to the Unity Party Headquarters to serve the writ of Subpoena on the former Vice President but he was not found.
Similarly, on the 16 of April, he again proceeded to the UP Standard Bearer home to serve the writ but was unable to serve the writ, after being informed that he was not at home.
Cllr. Cephus during last Tuesday’s hearing requested the court to expand the Writ of Subpoena, to be served on 17 others to include Joseph N. Boakai, UP Political Leader, specifically to testify to his role, responsibilities, and activities, if any, with the CPP, how, when, why, and what gave rise to the formation of the CPP, if any, his role before and after the signing ceremony of the CPP framework document, and now, and where, if any, is or are the copies of the May 19, 2020 Framework Document, Isaac Mannah, Former Chairman of UP, it’s Secretary-General Mo Ali, Ahmed Modal, Current National Chairman and Liberty Party embattled Political Leader, Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence to produce the original copy of the press statement issued, in respect of the controversy regarding the CPP framework document, original copy of the letter written by the lawyers headed by Cllr. Benedict Sannoh, copies of NAC minutes in which Co-Defendant Alexander B. Cummings confessed to forging and altering the CPP Framework document, and thereby identify and testify to all and any material evidence that is germane to the case including the purported framework document that was filed by the ANC on behalf of the CPP.
Others are, Senator Steve Zargo, Former Chairman of Liberty Party, Augustine Frederick-Executive Member, to identify and testify to testimony that was given at NEC for the current hearing into the complaint of CPP.
Similarly, Jeremy Russell, Senator Darius Dillon and Wedie Powell, all Executive Members of Liberty are to produce and testify to the testimony that was recently given at the NEC during a hearing concerning the framework document.
The prosecution also requested Defendants Alexander B. Cummings to produce and testify to the originals of the resolutions executed by the ALP, UNITY Liberty Party, and the ANC which were presented to him by Mo Ali regarding the formation of the CPP which ultimately led to the signing of the framework document on May 19, 2020, while Aloysius Toe is to also appear to identify and testify to the resolutions and Senator Daniel Netaahn is to identify and testify to the receipt of the resolutions by the four constituent political parties.
Going forward, the Prosecution bade the court to Subpeona the National Elections Commission(NEC), through its Head of the Political Office Ignatius Wesseh, to produce the original the framework document and the letter covering it that were filed by Defendants Alexander B. Cummings and Aloysius Toe of the ANC on behalf of the CPP, while Fomba Swaray, Hearing Officer will produce the current minutes of the testimonies of Augustine Frederick of the Liberty Party(LP) and Mo Ali of Unity Party in the ongoing matter before the commission.
For the Lawyers Group, Cllr. Benedict Sannoh—Head of Legal Advisory Council, CPP is expected to appear to testify to a copy of the letter written to Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, then Chairperson of the CPP regarding the review process of the CPP framework document and to identify and testify to which of the CPP framework document that was amended or that was used to amend the CPP framework document, when, where, why and how? While Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott is to produce and testify to a special investigative report written to advise the Unity Party leadership concerning the purported CPP Framework Document.
Defense in the meantime noted that more subpoena witnesses are expected to be brought in depending on what those listed will say in their respective testimonies before the court, as the additional witnesses are expected in court.
But following said request from the Prosecution, Defense, however, objected to the appearance of Cummings, Toe, and Naatehn to produce the resolution of constituent parties that executed and set the basis of the framework document on May 19, 2020.
According to Defense, the request to Subpoena the three main defendants violates their right to the Doctrine of Presumption of Innocent and is self-incriminating as guaranteed by Article 21 of the Liberian Constitution.
Meanwhile, following argument and resistance from both the defense and prosecution team, Monrovia City Court Judge Jomah Jallah reserved ruling as to whether former VP Boakai, Cummings, Nathan, and Toe are to appear, while at the same time ordering the rest of the 13 witnesses to appear on Thursday, April 21.
