Monrovia — The signing of the Revised Farmington River Declaration on April 4, 2023, was essentially aimed at committing political parties and their actors to working collaboratively for the sustenance of peace this election year, however, it appears that some unhealed wounds among politicians still remain a threat to the nation's peace and stability.
The political leader of the Liberia Rainbow Alliance, Reginald Goodridge, Sr., last week made a troubling allegation against President George Weah. He alleged that immediately after the signing of the Revised Farmington River Declaration, he was "aggressively" approached by President Weah who said to him, "Goodridge, are you enjoying democracy in Liberia?"
Goodridge: "I moved away from the president. He approached me again, and repeated the question several times, "Goodridge, I say, ehn you enjoying democracy in Liberia?" Before I could find an answer, he said to me, 'Look at you. You are a rogue. You stole my car and burned down my house.' I responded to the President that what he had said was a lie, and there was an intense exchange of words between us."
Chronicled in Rodney Sieh's Latest Book
The 1996 burning of Weah's 9th Street property when Goodridge was Minister of Information during the regime of jailed President Charles Taylor is well chronicled in FrontPageAfrica Editor Rodney Sieh's new book, George Weah: The Story of Africa's Footballer President.
The book is a masterpiece of a nearly five-year investigation and interviews with the majority of the people who have been associated with Weah from the soccer pitch to the Executive Mansion. It encapsulates everything that happened in between and how Weah is faring now with the Presidency.
Goodridge and another eyewitness, Musa Kamara and others recalled the fateful incident that happened in April 1996.
Kamara was one of the few Weah admirers on the scene to ensure that the house was not looted and further damaged in the wake of the burning incident.
In the book, Kamara, now deceased, narrates that he received a call from his bosses at about 2 am on Monday, April 6, 1996. "With bullets flying all over the capital, Monrovia, Musa was informed by his bosses that the home of George Weah, the reigning FIFA World Footballer of the Year, was being gutted by fire," Musa recalled.
Musa explained in the book that the order was clear but not without its own challenge, explaining that as he and his men proceeded to carry out the order, the fierce NPFL general Benjamin Yeaten and his men stood in the way. "Yeaten, dubbed "50", was an NPFL militia leader and mercenary who served as a deputy commander of the Armed Forces of Liberia and director of the Special Security Service (SSS) during the Presidency of Charles Taylor.
Yeaten was notorious for committing war crimes and was one of Taylor's most trusted and loyal followers. In fact, he was considered the de facto leader of all of Taylor's armed forces and the second most powerful figure in the government. With him was Jack the Rebel, another of Taylor's top fighters in the NPFL army. Jack was responsible for ensuring the President's private security and stability in the country."
The book also includes an extensive narrative from Goodridge regarding the fallout between he and President Weah stemming from the house burning, Goodridge insists, President Weah has all wrong.
By Goodridge's explanation in the press statement, this event remains fresh on the memory of Pres. Weah, especially so when Goodridge is now a political opponent and supports one of Weah's archrival in the presidential race.
Goodridge stated: "The President made these false allegations in an angry tone surrounded by his bodyguards, in the presence of his wife, Mrs. Clar Weah, Hon. Lusinee F. Kamara, Political Leader of the All Liberia Coalition Party, (ALCOP), and Rev. David Kemue, Political Leader of the Democratic People's Party of Liberia (DPPL), and others who I cannot easily identify.
"In the two days since this verbal assault against me by the president of Liberia, I have made an oral representation of the incident to a number of individuals in integrity institutions, close associates of the president and his inner circle, and members of the National Executive Committee of the Rainbow Alliance."
Goodridge stated that he is even more particular about the President's allegation because it was in front of his armed bodyguards and other members of his government in the wake of reports of extra-judicial killings in the country.
"This is why President Weah's false, stupid and malicious allegations against me personally, and the name of my family, cannot, and must not be taken lightly. My family name, the Goodridge name, has a long and unblemished reputation and legacy in Liberia. We have made major contributions to the progress and development of Liberia for many years, and continue to do so today," he said.
Executive Mansion's Response
Responding to the allegation, Presidential Press Secretary Isaac Kelgbeh told FrontPageAfrica that all the allegations by the President against Mr. Goodridge is true. He noted that the President has often jibed Mr. Goodridge about these allegations and they will often laugh about it. However, he said, since these are political times, Mr. Goodridge is now seeking political relevance by amplifying and construing the President.
"The President simply told him how democracy is thriving in Liberia under his administration. The President first told Goodridge about his Benz at the US Embassy during a function both attended, why he didn't deny it at the time? Everything the President told Goodridge was the truth not what he, Goodridge is insinuating. He stole the President car and later returned it," Kelgbeh said.
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The Press Secretary dismissed Goodridge's insinuation his life could be in danger.
"When the President told him the truth, he responded to the president that it was a lie, during the Charles Taylor's regime in which he was Information Minister, could he tell Charles Taylor that he was lying? This is the democracy the President was talking about," Mr. Kelgbeh added.
Taking It Seriously
However, the Rainbow Alliance political leader said he's leaving no stone unturned in proving his innocence to this allegation while at the same time filing a defamation suit against the President.
He stated, "In order to ensure that President Weah and his surrogates do not continue this lie, I am today informing the Liberian people that I will file a lawsuit in the courts of Liberia against Mr. Weah for Libel, and Defamation of character; and I will be seeking a remedy of $27 million United States Dollars in damages. We are aware that Mr. Weah is immune from certain judicial processes from the lower courts, due to executive privileges as President of Liberia. But we will file this case, keep it on the record and patiently wait until Mr. Weah leaves office, which we expect will be sooner than later."
He also threatened a similar lawsuit against any of Pres. Weah's associate who may repeat the same allegation.
