–Defense Lawyer Brands Solicitor General’s Action as Gangsterism

–State Witness Former Vice President Boakai Did Not Testify Again

IPNEWS-Monrovia: The ongoing trial of the opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC) political leader, Alexander B. Cummings, party Chairman Senator Daniel Naatehn and Secretary General Cllr. Aloysius was on Tuesday, May 10, 2022 postponed by the Monrovia City Court on what was termed as on safety grounds.

According to media reports, the Judge of the Monrovia City Court, Joma Jallah granted a motion filed by Solicitor General, Cllr. Seyma Syrennius Cephas that the grounds of the Temple of Justice, which houses the Monrovia City was unsafe for principal state witness Joseph Boakai to testify.

Solicitor General Cephas told the Court that the tension was high on the grounds of the Temple Justice as supporters of the various political parties who had gone to the court to support their respective political leaders in the ongoing trial.

ANC Cummings, Chairman Naatehn and Secretary General Aloysius Toe are on trial for alleged forgery and criminal conspiracy having been accused by a constituent members of the Collaborating Political Party (CPP) Benoni Urey of the All Liberia Party (ALP) with support of the Unity Party and the political leader of the Liberty Party of allegedly altering the Framework Document of the CPP.

Solicitor General Cllr. Seyma Syrennius Cephas

Reacting to the postponement of the case, Cllr. Orisha Gould, one of the Defense lawyers said the action of Solicitor General Cephas to evoke a petition that the grounds of the Temple of Justice were unsafe for his witness to testify is only intended to further delay a case that should have lasted for a maximum of 30 days.

But he said since the case started, it has gone for five months without the prosecutors bringing forth the pieces of evidence it boosted that it had against the ANC officials that indeed they had altered the CPP Framework Document. “What Solicitor General Cephas is doing is pure gangsterism and human rights violations because all the accused persons are entitled to speedy trial. But Cephas and his people are intentionally delaying and giving flimsy accuses every day because they have no evidence to convict the accused,” Cllr Gould said.

The ANC defense lawyer noted it was unthinkable that the Solicitor General would cry that the grounds of the Temple of Justice is unsafe for former Vice President Boakai to testify when national security is in the hands of the State.

He noted the accused ANC officials go to the court every other day to clear their respective names in the forgery and criminal conspiracy case but SG Cephas for political reasons deliberately bring up all kinds of bottlenecks to delay the trial. “This is unacceptable and human rights violation. These are some of things that the international community document against Liberia when they come out with their human rights reports the country is always painted negatively due to the action of people like Solicitor General who wants to abuse the rights of political leaders of an opposition party,” Cllr. Gould averred.

Since the Solicitor General through the Monrovia City Court subpoena former Vice President and Unity Party political leader Joseph Boakai to testify in the ongoing ANC official trial, he is yet to take the witness as a principal witness the Solicitor General had hoped for.

It can be recalled the former VP could not testify on the first day he appeared at the court because prosecuting lawyer said the CPP Framework document brought to the court was a photocopy and not the original so Mr. Boakai could not testify.

The case is expected to continue this week once the safety issues are sorted out, according to media reports.