MONROVIA-The Liberian Government through the Ministry of Justice has filed with the Monrovia City Court a Bill of Information seeking defendant Alexander Benedict Cummings to turnover to that honorable court photocopy of plane tickets from his recent trip to the United States.
The ANC political leaders and two officials of his party are facing criminal prosecution at the Monrovia City Court for allegedly tempering with the collaborating political parties framework document of May 19, 2020.
Prosecution bill of information is informing the court that Co-defendant Alexander B. Cummings is yet to present to the court photocopies of his ticket(s) to and from America; flight number and name, from Liberia to Ghana, from Ghana to United States and United States to Liberia, if any, the date of departure to United States and date of return as well as photocopy of his current Liberian passport with an American visa inside.
These were the conditions agreed upon for which the Ministry of Justice interposed no objection to the lifting of the Alternative Summary Proceedings Order issued by His Honor Roosevelt Z. Willie, retraining, inhibiting and prohibiting Co-Defendant Alexander B. Cummings from traveling out of Liberia pending the hearing of the Summary proceedings petition filed by the Ministry of Justice.
A release issued by MOJ April 1, 2022 claimed it did not raise any further objection because Co-Defendant Cummings had two separate and distinct options, and that is, he was required to produce these documents either before or after his travel, and based on this, the Ministry of Justice had selected the last option which instructed that he would produce the selfsame documents upon his return to the country.
The Ministry of Justice says now that Co-defendant Cummings has safely traveled out of the country and peacefully returned, he must do the right thing by producing these documents including but not limited to the photocopy his current Liberian passport with an American visa inside to satisfy two basic fundamental conditions.
These conditions are: to prove to the court that indeed he has traveled to the United States to see his ailing mother, and thereby comply with the mandate of Judge Willie and to allay the suspicions of the Ministry of Justice and other misinformation being spread in the public domain that he did not travel to the United States as he had earlier indicated in his sworn submission.
The Justice Ministry release says while it seems tempted to express remorse of conscience for the ailment defendant Cummings’ his 92 years old mother believed to be a senior citizen of this Republic, the Ministry Justice is however unconvinced that defendant Cummings actually traveled to the United States and therefore calls upon him to gather the moral fortitude by producing to the court all of the documents referenced, including but not limited to his current Liberian passport with an American visa inside.
The release added that the Ministry of Justice shall not and will not be distracted from making these demands and hereby advises defendant Cummings to understand that the production of these documents including but not limited to the photocopy of his current Liberian passport with a US visa inside before or after his travel out of the country was a key condition upon which the prosecution had interposed no objection to his travel request.
Alphonso Toweh
Has been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters
He holds first MA with honors in International Relations and a candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict Resolution from the University of Liberia.