Defense Lawyers representing the Political leader and Standard Bearer of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) Alexander B. Cummings and two of the top executive members of the party, Senator Daniel Naathan and Atty Aloysius Toe, Chairman and Secretary General respectively, Yesterday, Monday, April 4, 2022, lashed out at State Prosecutors accusing them of baffling the trial with unmerited and unreasonable requests far removed from the substantive issues of the “forgery and criminal conspiracy” case against their clients.
The Defense Lawyers made specific reference to a Bill of Information filed in court by lead prosecutor, Solicitor General Syrenius Cephus, requesting Mr. Cummings to produce his Passport with an American visa, as the sole proof that he did travel to the United States and also to a vague request to subpoena a so-called service provider to produce Whatsapp messages amongst CPP Political Leaders.
Defense Lawyers maintained that Whatsapp messages are end to end encrypted, with no third party access, while there is no law, which requires a defendant requesting voluntary leave from a trial to produce an American passport with an American visa to establish that s/he did travel to the United States.
They said, in keeping with law, they have provided State Prosecutors with Mr. Cummings’ flight and ticket numbers, it0enary of departure, duration of stay and return to Liberia, hence, it is unthinkable to request Mr. Cummings to produce Whatsapp messages, considering its encrypted technology.
The legal team furthered that the fact Mr. Cummings has since returned and appeared in court, State Prosecutors’ request was unnecessary and viewed as personally vindictive against Mr. Cummings, while the other defendants, including Senator Naatehn and Mr. Aloysius Toe are mere victims of circumstances.
On Monday, April 4, the state prosecutors led by Cllr. Saymah Syrenius Cephas, Solicitor General, filed a bill of information, requesting ANC Defense Lawyers to provide in addition to Mr. Cummings travel information, his Passport with American visa to prove that he traveled to the United States and returned to Liberia before or on March 25, 2022. ANC Defense Lawyers suspect ulterior motives by State Lawyers request for Cummings’ passport with American visa, and that the charges are politically motivated.
Defense Lawyers accordingly requested the Monrovia City Court presided over by Magistrate Jomah Jallah to dismiss and deny the State Prosecutors’ request for Cummings’ passport with American visa and proceed with the trial of the case.
Meanwhile the court has reserved ruling on the matter.
ANC Political Leader, Mr. Alexander B. Cummings, Vice National Chairman Daniel Naatehn and Secretary General Aloysius Toe are facing trial for alleged alteration of the then Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) framework document.
ANC authorities have vehemently rejected and denied the charges as bogus, and politically motivated as part of conspiracies between the All Liberian Party of Benoni Urey and the ruling CDC with ulterior motives.
State prosecutors’ first state witness, Theodore Momo, Chairman of the All Liberian Party of Mr. Benoni Urey, is still undergoing cross examination by ANC defense lawyers. Defense Lawyers have described his testimony as lies and are seeking to establish that witness Momo lied under oath about the alteration of the CPP framework document. Additionally, it was confirmed that State Lawyers submitted evidence of deleted messages which would prove Messrs Cummings, Naathen and Toe’s innocent.
It has been reported that State Lawyers have since submitted the full set of text messages to the court.
Comments are closed.