Poll authorities throw out Weah fraud claims

Liberia’s national electoral commission on Friday threw out claims of massive fraud in presidential elections made by unsuccessful candidate and former football legend, George Weah. Weah’s Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) lodged the fraud charges before official results of a second round run-off poll in November were announced. “There is no prima facie evidence from the CDC to establish a case of fraud and there was no clear and convincing facts presented before the hearing by the CDC,” said Joseph Blidi, presiding office of the national electoral commission. The hearing concluded that there were errors, but that they were “technical” and had “negligible effect” on the final result 23 November, which gave Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf 59 percent of the tally. “This does not support widespread and massive fraud as alleged by the complainant,” Blidi concluded. Lawyers representing Weah immediately said they would be filing an appeal with the Supreme Court. Post-war presidential elections took place over two rounds in October and November under the watchful eye of the UN, which has 15,000 peacekeepers in Liberia. Football millionaire Weah has maintained that the run-off polls were rigged and on Sunday declared himself president vowing to block Sirleaf’s inauguration. “One cannot have an inauguration in January when the case we are pursuing is not resolved. The whole world needs to know this. We are seeking justice and there cannot be peace without justice,” Weah had said to cheering crowds. Afterwards, Weah supporters took to the streets, some clashing with police, throwing stones and smashing up vehicles. Police arrested 40. Weah’s electoral failure has created disappointment in France, too, where he failed to pay hotel and caterers’ bills after throwing a lavish end-of-career party this year for a host of his top footballing buddies. “We were hoping that he would win the election, then we would know where to send the bill,” one hotelier told Radio France International. Event organisers complained to reporters in France that Weah’s cheques bounced and the companies he was associated with had disappeared without trace.