PHOTO: Alexander Cummings, ANC Political Leader
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
Many hours after a writ of arrest was issued against him by the Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice, the Political Leader of the opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC) is yet to surrender to the court on charge of “Forgery and Criminal Conspiracy”.
The warrant of arrest was issued on Monday, January 3, 2021 upon the complaint of another opposition leader, Banoni Urey of the All Liberian Party (ALP), who is accusing Cummings of altering the Framework Document of the four-party Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), when the ANC leader headed the coalition.
Monday’s writ ordering the Magistrate Police said: “You are hereby commanded to arrest the living body of Alexander B. Cummings and others to be identified defendants, and forthwith bring them before the Monrovia City Magisterial Court Temple of Justice to answer to the crime of Forgery and Criminal Conspiracy, based upon the oath and complaint of the Republic of Liberia by and thru All Liberian Party by and thru its National Chairman, Theodore Momoh, plaintiff in which it is substantially alleged…”
The long-running feud in the fractured opposition Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) over allegation of tampering with the framework document of the group has gone one step further with this latest court action.
Cummings, who is former CEO of Coca Cola Africa, earlier dismissed the charges in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and said his Lawyers will appropriately respond to the wit. Without providing evidence, he accused the Liberian government of being behind the latest action by Urey’s ALP.
This latest legal action is coming at a time when the former ruling Unity Party (UP) Standard Bearer, former Vice President Joseph Boakai is currently heading the CPP, which is on the verge of collapsing.
Last Week, the National Executive Committee of Urey’s ALP decided that the party withdraw from the CPP. Top executive of Baoak’s Unity Party had also earlier decided that similar action be taken by the former ruling party.
The shattering CPP leaders
The rift in the CPP has grown out of Urey and the leader of the other constituent party in the CPP, Liberty Party political leader, Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence’s support for Boakai to head the CPP’s ticket in the upcoming 2023 presidential election. At the same time, this has led to splits in both the LP and UP, with a factions of the two parties supporting the Standard Bearership of Cummings to take on incumbent President George Manneh Weah of the ruling CDC party.
Below is the Writ
