Former Liberian President George Weah, currently in opposition, today denounced the manipulation of the judicial system by his successor Joseph Boakai, after his former finance minister and four former officials were charged with corruption.
"The Unity Party can be sure that the CDC [Weah's party] will use all legal and political means at its disposal to resist this maneuver aimed at instrumentalizing the country's judicial system to its advantage," said the former footballer, who lost the presidential elections at the end of 2023.
He added at a press conference: "Yes, Mr Boakai, your attempt to politicize the judicial system will be strongly resisted."
This stance by Africa's only Ballon d'Or winner to date, who became president in 2018, comes after the indictment of his former finance minister, Samuel Tweh, and four other senior officials from his former administration, following an audit by Liberia's anti-corruption commission.
The report accuses the senior officials of financial embezzlement, conspiracy to embezzle state resources and economic sabotage.
Boakai, who was elected in November 2023 with 50.64 per cent of the vote against 49.36 per cent for his opponent, has made the fight against corruption one of his main battles.
He blamed his predecessor for the persistence of corruption, considered endemic, which he pledged to combat. Washington has placed five of Weah's closest advisers under sanctions for alleged corruption.
