Angry supporters of Liberian soccer star George Weah stoned police today as his party demanded the Supreme Court halt counting of votes from a presidential runoff he appeared to have lost.
Hundreds of Weah supporters marched from his party headquarters towards the centre of the capital Monrovia, and some hurled stones at riot police in front of the National Elections Commission (NEC) as UN helicopters hovered overhead.
With more than 90 per cent of votes counted from Tuesday's runoff vote, former Finance Minister Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has an unassailable lead, but Mr Weah and his Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) say the vote was rigged.
"This morning the Congress for Democratic Change filed a written prohibition to the Supreme Court of Liberia to intervene and stop the counting process," Steve Quoah, campaign spokesman for the former AC Milan striker, told journalists.
Mr Weah addressed supporters outside the party headquarters and appealed for calm after an election designed to draw a line under 14 years of war which has racked Africa's oldest Republic, first founded by freed black slaves from America.
"You chose me because I am a peace ambassador. You have a case. While we are looking into the case we want you to remain calm. The streets of Monrovia do not belong to demonstrators. Do not go into the streets to riot," Mr Weah told his supporters, mainly young men and women.