IPNEWS: Uncertainty looms over whether or not Unity Party Political Leader, Joseph Boakai, will appear Tuesday, April 19, as summoned to testify for the state in the ongoing trial of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) Standard Bearer, Alexander Cummings, charged with alleged alteration of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) framework document.
IPNEWS has gathered that former vice President Joseph N. Boakai prevented Court officers from serving him the writ of subpoena ad testificandum over the weekend, by issuing strict instructions to his bodyguards not to allow any Sheriff to enter his rehab residence.
Last week, the Magistrate of the Monrovia City Court, Jomah Jallah, granted a request by state prosecutors led by Solicitor General Cephus to have Mr. Boakai appear on Tuesday, April 19, to testify for the state against the ANC Political Leader, Cummings, its National Chairman Daniel Naatehn and Secretary General, Counselor Aloysius Toe ,for allegedly altering the CPP framework document. ANC officials have vehemently rejected the charges as bogus and politically motivated in an attempt to thwart Mr. Cummings’ 2023 presidential bid.
Reports of Mr. Boakai requested appearance and subsequent unconfirmed refusal to appear and testify in the case has baffled many Liberians as to why he ordered his bodyguards to obstruct the process of justice. Further speculations emerged early Sunday, Easter morning that Mr. Boakai’s deteriorating health condition is a major reason for his dismissivet posture court Sheriff, fearing that he cannot endure the long, rigorous and tedious process of testifying and undergoing cross examination by ANC Defense Lawyers, while others argue that for him to appear and testify for the state would be the worst political miscalculation as he could perjure himself. Still some party insiders have been adamant that Boakai should ignore the court and submit to the fine for contempt of court.
But Unity Party’s Secretary General Mo Ali to IPNEWS was not aware of any resistance or prevention of court Sheriff by the former Vice President over the weekend.
However, several Social media posts have cautioned the ailing Vice President from appearing to testify, without considering the legal implications his non-appearance could have on the case reportedly trumped up by the Political Leader of the All Liberian Party, Mr. Benoni Urey, who has been accused of playing double-handed to prevent Mr. Cummings’ participation in the October 2023, General and Presidential elections last for next year. Many Unity Party partisans are also fearing that state prosecutors may be setting a trap for Boakai and he should avoid testifying at all costs.
Pro-Cummings supporters says the ongoing trial appears to put him as the most formidable to competent as Presidential candidate, against current President George Manneh Weah, who sits comfortable from series of opinion polls.
The pro-Cummings supporter says the former Coco cola executive is the only one who has vowed and seemingly committed to instituting real and genuine change in improving the economic wellbeing of the Liberian people.
Last week, ANC defense lawyers completed the cross examination of the first state witness Theodore Momo, after a month-long testimony at the Monrovia City Court, Temple of Justice. Witness Momo is the National Chairman of the All Liberian Party of Mr. Benoni Urey.
The Unity Party Political Leader, Boakai is the second witness for the State, but his decision to appear and testify remains uncertain.
