Ghana and Africa’s hopes weren’t the only things that went up in smoke on Friday. Socialite Paris Hilton and her entourage literally blazed a smoke trail of their own. Alas, for them a whiff of that spliff was enough for the cops.
The heiress, alongside friend and Playboy Playmate Jennifer Rovero, was arrested for possession of and smoking marijuana during the Brazil vs Holland match at Port Elizabeth.
However, she was swiftly absolved of the charges in court after Rovero pleaded guilty. Rovero was ordered to either spend 30 days in jail or pay the Rand1,000 ($128) fine, which she promptly deposited.
Police approached the duo when they threw away a joint, and were ushered inside by their bodyguards.
“Police seized the evidence and approached the women inside the stadium. The women were taken into custody after a bodyguard handed a second cannabis cigarette over to the police,” said police spokeswoman Sally De Beer.
“Charges were withdrawn against Paris Hilton as her co-accused acknowledged being in possession of the cannabis and pleaded guilty.”
The heir to the Hilton hotel chain played down the incident on her Twitter page. “Hey guys, there’s a lot of crazy rumours going around. Just want you all to know the truth. Everything is completely fine,” she posted.
“I was not charged or arrested, cause I didn’t do anything. I was assisting the police with the investigation and answering their questions.”
However, the police spokeswoman shot down her claims. “She was arrested and then the charges were formally withdrawn in court,” she said.