Vice President Joseph Boakai was discharged from the witness stand Thursday, May 19, after being prevented by court from responding to several questions said to be critical to the Alternative National Congress (ANC) defense lawyers in establishing facts and circumstances in the decision-making process within the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP).
ANC Defense Lawyers request for Mr. Boakai to identify which of the four separate copies of the CPP framework documents submitted by State Prosecutors to court, were original and which was alleged to have been forged, was rejected by the court following an objection by State Lawyers.
The former Vice President was also prevented from answering, whether it was the May 19, 2020Â framework document filed at the National Elections Commission (NEC), July 2020, based on which the CPP was certificated on August 14, and whether he Boakai attended and spoke at the certification program.
On the question, of whether Boakai was aware as he said in his May 16, court testimony about the “amendment recommendations” including the ten changes by the CPP team of lawyers, Mr. Boakai denied and said ” knowing and being aware are not the same.”
Several other questions put to Boakai by ANC Defense Lawyers deemed crucial to establishing contradictions between his testimony and testimony of the first state witness Theodore Momo were met with stiff objections by state prosecutors and upheld by the court.
On the question, of whether Boakai heard about the May 25 amended lawyers’ version of the CPP framework document, Boakai said he only heard about it on Thursday, May 19, right in court from the ANC lead defense lawyer, Counsellor Abrahim Sillah and attorney Gould.
Boakai said also that all the political leaders of four constituent political parties signed the five framework documents on the same day, May 19, even though, the LP Leader signed in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, while others signed in Monrovia.
The Vice President was the fifth of 34 witnesses, subpoenaed to testify for the state, in the trial which started in January 2022, into allegation of altering the CPP framework document.
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The first witness, Theodore Momo, Chairman of the All Liberian Party of Mr. Benoni Urey, the Political Officer and Hearing Officers and Chairlady of the National Elections Commission, Ms. Davidetta Brown Lasanna have all testified in the trial involving the ANC Political Leader, Mr. Alexander Cummings, it’s National Chairman Daniel Naatehn and Secretary-General Counsellor Aloysius Toe, accused of altering the CPP framework document.
The three accused ANC stalwarts have adamantly denied the charges and described the protracted trial as bogus and politically motivated by the All Liberian Party of Mr. Benoni Urey in cahoots with the Unity Party of Joseph Boakai and President George Weah to thwart Mr. Cummings Presidential bid in 2023.
Meanwhile, the Monrovia City Court has granted two weeks’ leave of absence to the ANC Political Leader, Mr. Cummings and three weeks to Senator Daniel Naatehn following requests by ANC Defense Lawyers for them to attend to pressing matters of concern.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/boakai-faces-defense-team/
