MONROVIA, Liberia (AP):
ELECTION OFFICIALS began investigating fraud complaints yesterday by soccer superstar turned presidential candidate George Weah, who alleges poll workers stuffed ballot boxes for his opponent in Liberia's first post war election.
A day earlier, election officials said the final count gave Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf 60 per cent of the ballots versus 40 per cent for Weah. Johnson-Sirleaf would be the first woman elected president in Africa if Weah's complaints are found to be without merit and the results are certified.
A ruling on the filing by Weah, who wants a fresh round of voting, is expected by November 23,
election officials have said.
Election officials launched their investigation into the allegations yesterday, with Weah's lawyers saying at a public hearing that they would consolidate seven complaints into a single dossier.
MISSING FROM HEARING
Missing from the hearing was Weah, who was represented by former Foreign Affairs Minister Rudolph Johnson.
Late Tuesday, the postwar transitional government that will cede to the democratically elected leader next year announced a ban on street demonstrations. Angry Weah supporters had clashed Friday with U.N. peacekeepers, but protests since had been peaceful.
The elections were the first since a 1989-2003 civil war and international observers have said they were largely free and fair, with only a few small irregularities.
