Liberia's apex court orders probe into election fraud

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Liberia's apex court on Monday ordered a probe into alleged fraud and irregularities that marred the first-round of presidential polls held last month in the West African country.

The Liberian Supreme Court in a ruling in Monrovia directed the National Elections Commission (NEC) to suspend the presidential poll, investigate the claims and make its clear decision on the case within one week.

Leading the challenge in court, Charles Brumskine, the candidate of the opposition Liberty Party, alleged the October 10 presidential election was fraught with fraud and irregularities and called on the NEC to suspend the second-round voting until its case had been heard.

Charles Walker Brumskine, Liberia's 2017 presidential candidate and leader of Liberty Party, speaks during an interview with Reuters in Monrovia, Liberia, October 8, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Citing irregularities in the electoral process, the Liberty Party, the Alternative National Congress and the governing Unity Party alleged electoral sabotage during the presidential poll.

In his ruling Monday, one day to the earlier scheduled presidential run-off on November 7, Chief Justice Francis Korkpor of the Supreme Court said the electoral body ought to have investigated the claims by disgruntled political parties before it reached the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court's ruling effectively foreclosed any possibility of the presidential run-off on Tuesday.

Last Friday, the Liberian electoral body said it would delay the run-off and announce a new date for the second-round voting later.

George Weah, former soccer player and presidential candidate of Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), votes at a polling station in Monrovia, Liberia, October 10, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) candidate George Weah, who is the front-runner, and vice president Joseph Boakai of the governing party were to take part in the run-off.

Weah, a former soccer star, is leading the presidential race with 38.4 percent of the vote to Boakai's 28.8 percent.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency