PHOTO: Former VP Joe Boakai speaking with Journalists
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- Former Vice President, Joseph Nyumah Boakai told judicial reporters today, Thursday, May 19,2022 that his series of testimonies at the Monrovia City Court were not to testify against his follow opposition politician, Alexander Cummings.
In an interview outside the Monrovia City Court, the leader of the former ruling Unity Party said he instead went to testify to what he knows about the opposition Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) framework document in the interest of the public.
Boakai’s UP and two other CPP member parties—Benoni Urey’s ALP and Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence’s LP—have all pointed an accusing fingers at Cummings for allegedly tampering with the CPP’s original framework document.
Cummings and few of his Alternative National Congress (ANC) officials were last year dragged to court on charges of forgery and criminal conspiracy, a trial that the court subpoena former VP Boakai as one of the state witnesses upon the request of prosecution lawyers.
Ambassador Boakai said that he believed that they all people of integrity and also believed they are working together in the interest of the country.
According to him, there are things that went wrong concerning the CPP framework document for which he was asked to explained his side of what he knows in the interest of the public, so that people know who they are and what they stand for.
“My testimonies were about to testify what I know about the CPP framework document that I signed on May 19,2020, whether it was the same document filed with the National Elections Commission,” the 78-year-old former Liberian Vice President told Reporters.
He said that his presence at the court doesn’t mean that he was defendant, but to show respect for the rule of law, the court system and above all a law abiding citizen in Liberia.
Cummings accuses CDC gov’t of going after him
For his part, ANC political leader has said that it is unfortunate for the government of Liberia to divert their strength and spending huge sum of monies on misdemeanor case.
Mr. Cummings narrated that the money that government is using to go after him, should be diverted to the Liberian people to better their health and education system in the country to better their lives.
He pointed that it is a shame for our justice system or government to be prosecuting a misdemeanor case as if it a Criminal Court.
Meanwhile, defense lawyers headed by Cllr. Abrahim Sillah have rested with the state subpoena witnesses (Boakai). And Magistrate Jomah Jallah of the Monrovia City Court has discharged the witness Boakai with thanks of court.
It is expected that either this Friday May 20,2022, or Monday May 23,2022, the political leader of the All Liberian Party(ALP), Benoni Urey is expected take the witness stand to testify on what he knows about the CPP framework document, which he has repeatedly claimed was forged.
Today, May 19, 2022 makes the controversial CPP framework document, which has plunged the four-party opposition collaboration, two years old.