After the non-appearance of former Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, state prosecutors have requested and notified the Monrovia City Court to subpoena additional 30 witnesses to testify in the ongoing trial involving the Alternative National Congress (ANC) Political Leader Alexander Cummings and others, charged with altering the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) framework document.
Court officers reported Tuesday, April 19, that Vice President Joseph Boakai bodyguards prevented them on two separate occasions from serving the writ of subpoena, which ordered that he appears and testify in the ongoing trial.
Among the first 17 witnesses requested to be subpoenaed by State prosecutors to testify for the state, are Mr. Cummings, the ANC National Chairman Daniel Naatehn, and Secretary General Cllr. Aloysius Toe, but the prosecution was rebutted with stiff resistance by ANC Defense Lawyers.
ANC Defense Lawyers said it would be self-incrimination and a constitutional violation of the rights of the three accused ANC officials to be subpoenaed by the state to produce evidence against themselves. ANC Defense Lawyers also objected to state prosecutors request to have former Vice President Joseph Boakai testify from his Rehab residence, since he failed to appear in court on April 19, 2022.
The Monrovia City Court presided over by Magistrate Jomah Jallah reserved ruling on the appearance of the three accused ANC officials as State Witnesses and also whether or not to allow former Vice President Joseph Boakai testify from his Rehab residence. State Prosecutors want Mr. Boakai to testify to his role, responsibilities and activities, within the CPP, and how, when, why and what gave rise to its formation.
Also requested by state prosecutors to appear are Mr. Isaac Mannah, Former UP Chairman; Mo Ali, Secretary- General; and Amin Modad, current National Chairman. Others are Liberty Party Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, Counselor Benedict Sannoh, Lofa County Senator Steve Zargo, Mr Augustine Frederick of the National Elections Commission, Jeremy Russell, Montserrado County Senator Darius Dillion, Wedie Powell, Ignatius Wesseh, and Mr. Fomba Swaray, and Counselor Gloria Musu Scott.
ANC Political Leader, Mr Cummings, National Chairman Naatehn and Secretary General Toe are facing trial for alleged alteration of the then CPP framework document.
ANC officials 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 Congress for Democratic Change with ulterior motives.
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