Covington, Georgia – A Newton County Judge, John Degonia, has vacated the outstanding warrant of Senator George Manneh Weah in the child abandonment case filed by the mother of his ten-year-old daughter due to pleadings from his lawyer, John L. Strauss.
“I presumed the warrant would have been dropped based on the precision of the law. Weah’s lawyer had presented a US$160 check a few days ago on claims that he’s a poor man and that’s all he makes. I knew that would have handcuffed the Judge. However, as he advised, we move unto the civil case pursuit in New York where the child support recovery has the system to do proper finance tracking and like the Judge said, Weah’s assets would be seized for failure to comply. I trust the system and we are seeing this through. We have a deadline of seventeen days to submit financials to the State of New York and we will be facing the law there soon” – Meapeh Gono Glay, Mother of Senator Weah’s 10-Year-Old Child
In proceedings at the county courthouse Wednesday, Senator Weah’s lawyer, pleaded that a payment of US$160 US dollars was sent on April 28 for the month’s payment and therefore urged the court to vacate the warrant.
Kenna White, the Clerk of the court for criminal hearings of the Newton County Court in Covington, Georgia told FrontPageAfrica following Wednesday’s hearing that arrest “warrant remains dismissed.”
The Newton County Court issued on Senator Weah for failing to pay for child support on April 18, 2016.
Under Georgia law, child abandonment is automatically treated as a felony if the non-custodial parent, which would be Mr. Weah in this case, is out of state. And, if found guilty, Mr. Weah could face up to 12 months in prison.
On Wednesday, the Judge said since a discovery is being made to determine the actual amount to be paid by the Senator by the New York Law Department, he would urge all parties to submit to that process in New York.
FrontPageAfrica reported last week that a Child Support hearing will be held on June 28 and the State of New York had asked both Mr. Weah and Gono-Glay to submit their financial affidavits. The State of New York has asked the pair to submit a sworn income affidavit to determine honest payment of support in the ongoing saga.
According to the communication in possession of FrontPageAfrica, the State of Georgia has requested the state of New York through the City Court of New York Law Department Family Division to investigate the finances of Mr. Weah further and effect support and also have him repay arrears for any income based social services the child may have received.
Judge Degonia warned litigants that the discovery process in New York would determine the actual amount of assets and income of Mr. Weah and if he fails to comply with the authorities in New York, his assets could be seized and sold to satisfy outstanding arrears from any federal, state or municipal support the child had received in the past.
The Judge cautioned that failure on Weah’s part to satisfy or fulfil his obligations as when decided by those two legal processes, his assets will be garnished to recover his financial obligations, signalling that the case against the football legend is far from over.
The ruling means that the Montserrado County Senator would not be arrested and jailed for child abandonment. Under the 2010 Child Abandonment Law of the State of Georgia, if found guilty, the individual could face not less than 12 months and not more than 3 years.
FrontPageAfrica has learned that Senator Weah’s lawyers have been making overture to his baby mother’s lawyers to increase the monthly payment to his child from US$1,000 (one thousand United States Dollars) to US$1,500(one thousand, five hundred dollars) in a bid to avoid the hearing in New York next month.
Mrs. Meapeh Gono Glay was represented by Attorney Constancia Carter on behalf of the KL Jackson Law firm in Snellvile, Georgia.
When contacted, the mother said she presumed the warrant would have been dropped based on the precision of the law.
“Weah’s lawyer had presented a US$160 check few days ago on claims that he’s a poor man and that’s all he makes. I knew that would have handcuffed the judge. However, as he advised, we move unto the civil case pursuit in New York where the Child Support recovery has the system to do proper finance tracking and like the judge said, Weah’s assets would be seized for failure to comply. I trust the system and we are seeing this through. We have a deadline of seventeen days to submit financials to the State of New York and we will be facing the law there soon.”
The case now moves to a June 28 hearing date in the city of New York where Mr. Weah has his official residence.