Mr. Alexander B. Cummings, Standard Bearer of the Alternative National Congress (“ANC”) and Presidential Aspirant in Liberia’s scheduled 2023 Presidential and General Elections, welcomes the findings of an independent expert report into tampering allegations made by the All Liberian Party (“ALP”). The accusations form the basis of ongoing criminal proceedings against Mr. Cummings and others in Liberia.
Renowned human rights lawyer Cherie Blair CBE, QC led a team of specialist lawyers from Omnia Strategy and professional investigators from Alaco Limited in forensically examining the allegations against Mr. Cummings. The review found the CPP Investigative Committee Report does not stand up to scrutiny, provides no reliable substantiation for the allegations it purported to uphold, and is a wholly unsafe basis for any criminal prosecution.
The independent report, ‘The Framework of Political Persecution: The Case of Alexander B. Cummings’, published today, reveals how the CPP Investigative Committee failed to take into account key evidence showing the comprehensive review and approval of the Framework Document by all parties to the agreement. Inexplicably, this was despite its own Chairman having participated in this process of negotiating and agreeing the text. This raises serious questions about the Committee’s motivations and competence.
According to the World Justice Project, Liberia’s rule of law has deteriorated over the last two years and lags well behind the regional average, the country’s lowest scores being ‘Absence of Corruption’ and ‘Criminal Justice’. As President George Weah and his allies in government and opposition preside over a continuing assault on Liberia’s democratic values, the Omnia-Alaco report shines a light on how this is playing out in the political persecution of Mr. Cummings.
Alexander B. Cummings said: “The findings of the report are conclusive. With the baselessness of the accusations against me now laid bare, the truth – that this was a politicized attempt to impugn my integrity and derail our movement for real change – may prevail. I have always stood firm and calm when the government has violated my own democratic rights. But I could not remain calm as the government orchestrated this trial, which has been an assault on the democratic rights of all Liberians and the values of the international democratic community.”
Mrs. Blair said: “Our investigation has shown that the original complaints against Mr. Cummings and the CPP’s so-called investigation are hopeless. The evidence simply does not stack up. The entire affair is at best a wild goose chase and at worst a witch hunt. I have no doubt the Liberian courts will see that justice is done.”
Mr. Cummings commissioned this independent investigation to provide an objective evaluation of the claims made by the ALP and the Government of Liberia, and instructed Mrs. Blair’s team to report without fear or favor. Throughout his corporate, philanthropic, and political career, at home in Liberia and abroad, Mr. Cummings has always been committed to high standards of integrity, honesty, probity, and transparency. The trumped-up allegations he faces are yet another shoddy attempt to undermine his values and smear his good name.
Notes to Editors:
- Omnia is an international law firm founded in 2011 by Cherie Blair CBE, QC. Omnia specializes in bespoke dispute resolution and dispute prevention around the world, through its unique Law+ approach, combining legal expertise with experience across policy, business, and communications. Omnia is trusted by government, corporate and private clients to provide legal and strategic counsel on a broad spectrum of matters, including international arbitration, business and human rights, public international law and more unconventional problem-solving.
- Established in 2002, Alaco is a leading business intelligence and investigations firm, based in London and operating globally on behalf of its clients on both transactional and contentious matters. In support of its clients, Alaco’s multilingual staff draws on its experience from a variety of backgrounds, such as law, government, journalism, financial services, and diplomacy.
