MONROVIA-The Solicitor General of Liberia, Cllr. Sayma Syrenius Cephush has debunked reports that the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Cllr. Frank Musah Dean Jr., does not support the arrest and prosecution of defendant Alexander B. Cummings and others by the Ministry of Justice for the crimes of forgery and criminal conspiracy currently on summary before Criminal Court “A” at the Temple of Justice.
In a release issued on Wednesday, the SG said, the minister supports the case and all other cases of such.
“Under the New Executive Law of Liberia, the Minister of Justice and Attorney controls directs and supervises the prosecution of all cases in which the Republic of Liberia or an agency of the government is a party and the Minister of Justice has been such role since the arrest and subsequent commencement of the trial of defendant Alexander Cummings and others,” the statement said.
The resale comes against the backdrop of reports in some media that the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Cllr. Frank Musah Dean Jr., does not support the arrest and prosecution of defendant Alexander B. Cummings and others by the Ministry of Justice for the crimes of forgery and criminal conspiracy currently on summary before Criminal Court “A” at the Temple of Justice..
“The office of the Solicitor-general dismisses these claims as unfounded and maintained that the Solicitor-General is taking direct orders and instructions from the Minister of Justice as required by law to spearhead and supervise the trial of Alexander B. Cummings and will continue to do so until he is instructed to discontinue on valid legal grounds that the Minister of Justice may deem fit,’” the statement said.
The release said the clarification is necessary to dispel rumors and forms of vicious lies being spread by detractors that the Minister of Justice is silent because he does not support the trial of Alexander Cummings and others.
“The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of Liberia is vested with the legal power and authority to offer direct legal advice to the government or disagrees with the government or the President in the cabinet, and can still keep his job, and where the Solicitor-General and the Minister of Justice Attorney-General differ on a question of law, which is quite rare, it is the opinion or the position of the Attorney-General that prevails,” it further said.
Clarifying further, the release said Cllr. Frank Musah Dean Jr., and Cllr. Sayma Syrenius Cephus do not have any differences in opinion, whether in trial strategies or procedures, and are very much united in ensuring the successful prosecution of Mr. Alexander Cummings and others for the crimes of forgery and criminal conspiracy.
“The office of the Solicitor-General, according to the release is elated by the fact that the Attorney-General as part of his unwavering support for the prosecution of Alexander Cummings and others have deployed and continues to order the deployment of armed ERU security personnel around the vicinity of the Temple of Justice to provide security during the course of the trial,” it said.
“The Solicitor-General congratulates Cllr. Frank Musah Dean Jr., for the level of support given and continues to give the prosecution department during these critical times of the trial of defendant Alexander Cummings,’” it said.
The release dismisses as completely baseless claims that there is a serious rift between the Solicitor-General and the Attorney-General and maintains that every instruction or order that is being executed by the Solicitor-General in the criminal trial of Alexander Cummings and others is directly based on his job description and is executed at the behest of the Attorney-General who is closely supervising the trial.
“Meanwhile, the release concluded that because Cllr. Dean has seen, and analyzed the allegations against Mr. Cummings and others and is comfortable with the quantum of evidence and the quality of witnesses that the prosecution intends to produce at the trial, he has remained supportive of the prosecution’s efforts in the trial of Mr. Cummings,” it said.
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.