With almost every issue concerning President George Manneh Weah heavily propagandized, and taken out of context, some naysayers have found political capital in an encounter that the President’s son had reportedly had with law enforcement officers in Paris, France. Mr. George Weah, Jr. has lived abroad for most of his life, even in spite of his father’s presidency in Liberia, and never had there been reports of his misconduct and/or violation of law and order. But before inks got dry on misrepresentations on what transpired, Mr. Weah who is widely known in Liberia as “Champ” broke silence immediately, clarifying on circumstances and conditions he had faced with law enforcement officers. In an exclusive interview, the President’s son indicated that the incident was being grossly misrepresented and it constitutes a defamation of his character. The Analyst reports.
Over reports that George Manneh Weah Jr. alias ‘Champ’ was arrested in Paris, The Analyst granted him an exclusive interview, and he has provided somewhat detailed account of what happened between him and Paris police.
It was reported that Champ was arrested along with others “for breach of COVID-19 protocol, insults of the police and other unruly behavior towards the police,” but the lad has refuted the report, claiming that constitutes defamation of his character.
He denied that in no shape or form that was he ever drunk, aggressive, and insulted anybody, let alone the police. He said besides been a good boy, he was always careful never to do anything that could spill aspersion on his father’s image.
Making the clarification when he spoke with The Analyst’s Publisher Stanley Seakor in an exclusive interview Thursday via mobile phone, Mr. Weah, Jr. said he was happy that he was telling his story himself because it was misrepresented in many quarters.
On what went wrong, Mr. Weah explained that unfortunately the allegations labeled against him are totally false accusations. He further explained that the French police that arrested him executed their job very badly because they thought that he presented to them false ID.
He however clarified that they did so because on the French territory there are lots of people who roam freely with fake diplomatic passports and false ID cards.
“So basically what happened was that I went to visit my friend before protocol hours … 18 00 hours” saying that in France, there is a curfew that runs from 6.00PM -6.00AM.
“I am somebody who don’t really roam freely a lot because, we are living in a pandemic,” he stressed.
Weah Jr, said due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he often keeps himself into strict compliance with measures and that he has known his position.
“I have been living in France for many years; I have always respected the laws – I have done things with a lot of humility, with a lot of discipline,” Champ said further.
He indicated that he went to visit a friend from where he was returning when the incident took place, saying there wasn’t any sort of party as reported, but that he left his friend’s place before the curfew, which was his only offense to the French Police.
“That’s the only thing I’ve done that was wrong. I left the place few hours before the opening of the curfew time, but there wasn’t any party that was so perceived in their document.”
Weah Jr.: “I have written that there was no party and there’s no proof to that. That’s how I got clear of the issue because I have proof that there was no party. I was falsely accused of being drunk; but I was not drunk at all; I respected the sanitary measures; I have on my mask and my gloves. The only thing that I did was that I left before the sanitary time; that’s the only thing.”
Responding to question as to whether he was at his friend place before Curfew, George Weah Jr. reiterated: “I was there before curfew. I couldn’t have left before the curfew but I was extremely tire.”
“The curfew time here is from 6:00-6:00. I was there before 6:00PM which is from 18:00. I was extremely tire and I wanted to go home so I left.”
On whether he was drunk and insulted the police as reported, Mr. Weah indicated that the report is very false.
“That is unbelievably not true. I have proof to that. So these sources – I mean the police accusation were totally false. I did not insult any policeman.”
“I was respectful to each and every one of them,” he said, adding: “They are the ones who behaved very erratically to me. They were aggressive to me physically and emotionally. They did not believe me to be whom I [identified] myself to be.”
Mr. Weah emphasized that he was not drunk, but he was very sober to say the least; and he was not even driving, but was being driven by a chauffeur to go home. “They did not believe my identity,” he narrated.
He said the police acted smart. “And what they did to protect themselves, until the found out who I was, they went to the media and spread this false accusation.”
He however clarified that they returned his diplomatic passport that they seized because they saw that it was true that he stated his right identity.
“If I was drunk why there was no test? There was no test showing that I was drunk; no proof that I was drunk.”
He notwithstanding indicated that he has proof in the video footage filmed by his friend showing they were the ones that attacked him.
“The video footage is my proof against their work. And today I got clear because the prison saw the proof that I have provided them.”
Weah Jr., the son of President George Weah, said he met with Justice Officials on Thursday in the presence of the Liberian Embassy in Paris, adding that they gave him clearance after he provided them with proof nullifying all the accusations against him.
“I gave them proof of calls, videos, messages, everything – you name it. So in no shape or form that I was drunk, aggressive, insulting anybody. In a form, this is deformation of character,” he said and promised to also speak with French journalists to clarify “because they are running with this personality issue that I am this and that,” he said.
Tuesday, February 2, 2021, the 24 News, a media alert based in Paris, reported that “President George Manneh Weah son, George Manneh Weah, Jr, alias Champ is reported to have been arrested in Paris, France during the early hours of Tuesday morning February 2”.
According to Today 24 News, media alert based in Paris, Weah Jr., has been scheduled to meet with French Justice Officials Thursday.
The report says on the night of Monday to Tuesday, at 3.20 am, the police intervened for nighttime noise during a clandestine party in an opulent building in Paris, located on the avenue du President-Wilson (8th arrondissement), in the Alma-Marceau district.
There, in an apartment rented through Airbnb, officials came face to face with a gang of eight revelers. All were fined for “non-compliance with the measures in force related to the health context”.
Among them, George Weah junior, 33, whose father, Liberia’s current president was catapulted to stardom via the Paris based club- Paris SG.
The report adds that during the police intervention, the tone rose. George Weah junior, “very alcoholic” notes a police source, insulted the police and took out a diplomatic passport. He was arrested for contempt and rebellion, brought back to the 17th arrondissement police station, presented to the night judicial police officer.
“The Quai d’Orsay has been warned,” said a senior police official. Another warns: “We are going to check his possible diplomatic immunity.”
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