-In Ex-VP Taylor Case
By Vaye A. Lepolu & Jessica Cox
MONROVIA, Liberia — Citizens across Liberia are calling on the Government of Liberia to ensure that its investigation into former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor over alleged links to a transnational drug trafficking network is conducted transparently, independently and strictly on the basis of credible evidence.
The calls emerged during public discussions concerning the allegations against the former vice president, who served as Liberia’s second-highest elected official from 2018 to 2024 under former President George Weah. Howard-Taylor was detained on August 19, 2026, at Roberts International Airport while preparing to travel to Accra, Ghana, where she was scheduled to deliver a keynote address at a women’s forum .
Citizens identified as Reyes Wolsee, Abel King and Afraid Kromah told reporters that allegations of drug trafficking should be treated as a serious criminal matter rather than a political dispute. They maintained that if investigators have credible evidence linking Taylor to illegal drug activities, such evidence should be presented before the appropriate court .
“If the government has evidence that the former vice president is involved in trafficking drugs into the country, then the evidence should be presented,” one participant said during an interview .
The citizens also called for an independent examination of the broader allegations, including the activities of individuals investigators have identified as allegedly connected to the suspected drug network and financial transactions reportedly associated with the case .
They questioned whether law enforcement was applying the law consistently, particularly if individuals allegedly connected to the controversy remain free while others face arrest or prosecution .
At the same time, the citizens acknowledged the seriousness of drug trafficking and expressed support for government efforts to prevent Liberia from becoming a destination or transit point for narcotics .
They further argued that political affiliation should not influence the handling of criminal allegations. Supporters of Taylor, opposition politicians and members of other political groups, they said, should allow investigators and the courts to establish the facts rather than relying on political loyalty or public sentiment .
The citizens also urged the public to exercise restraint and avoid declaring an accused person guilty before a court reaches a final determination. “Please don’t judge one person when she is innocent based on the court order,” one Liberian said, reflecting concerns over public perceptions surrounding the case .
The calls come amid a wider national debate over the Government of Liberia’s handling of an alleged transnational cocaine trafficking network and accusations involving several individuals.
The Government’s Allegations
The Government of Liberia has accused former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor of allegedly maintaining links with a transnational cocaine trafficking network and receiving hundreds of thousands of United States dollars from individuals investigators have identified as members of the alleged organization.
The allegations are contained in a writ of arrest issued in connection with a criminal complaint filed by the Republic of Liberia through the Ministry of Justice. According to the complaint, the alleged activities date back to 2021 and continued through 2026, involving foreign nationals and Liberian intermediaries.
The government alleges that Sheik Bashiru Kante brought Croatian and Ukrainian nationals Taras Zadereiko, also known as “Tony,” and Mihovil Vrovac, also known as “Michael,” to Liberia. Investigators allege that the men later conspired with Kante and others to import and export cocaine through Liberia, allegedly using the country as a transit point for shipments destined for Europe.
The complaint alleges that Kante introduced Zadereiko and Vrovac to Taylor in 2022, while she was serving as vice president. Prosecutors further allege that Taylor subsequently met the two men and Kante at her residence in Congo Town, Montserrado County.
According to the government, the meeting was followed by an invitation for Taylor to travel to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where she allegedly met Nikola Ivancic, a Croatian national described in the complaint as the alleged kingpin or leader of the cocaine trafficking organization.
The government alleges that discussions in Dubai centered on the alleged use of Liberia as a transit route for cocaine trafficking and claims Taylor agreed to the proposal. The complaint further alleges that Taylor received US$45,000 from Ivancic while shopping in Dubai in the presence of Kante, Zadereiko and Vrovac.
Following her return to Liberia, investigators allege that Taylor maintained contact with members of the suspected network. The government further claims that Taylor later requested and received US$75,000 through Kante for her organization, the Jewel Star Fish Foundation, while the alleged trafficking operation continued.
Investigators also allege that in August 2026, Taylor received an additional US$15,000 through Kante. The complaint alleges that Taylor later expressed appreciation to Ivancic in an audio recording cited by investigators.
The government further alleges that Taylor knowingly collaborated with members of the alleged cartel by attending meetings, receiving money, and providing support or protection for their activities through her office and influence.
Charges and Legal Framework
Madam Taylor is accused of violating provisions of Liberia’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act of 2023, the New Penal Law and the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financing of Terrorism Act. The charges listed in the writ include importation of controlled drugs, unlicensed exportation of controlled substances, unlicensed sale and transportation of controlled substances, illicit trafficking, criminal conspiracy, criminal facilitation, criminal solicitation, money laundering, and aiding the consummation of crime.
The document identifies Zadereiko, Vrovac, Ivancic and others yet to be identified as alleged accomplices. The government has charged these foreign nationals in absentia and says efforts are underway to locate and apprehend them.
Madam Taylor was arrested on August 19, 2026, by a Joint National Security investigative team, according to the complaint. The document states that she was informed of her constitutional rights and was represented by Cllrs. Kabineh M. Ja’neh, J. Lavela Supuwood, and Sandra K. Howard, in whose presence she reportedly chose to remain silent.
However, the accusations against Taylor remain allegations and have not been proven in court. She is presumed innocent unless and until a court of competent jurisdiction determines otherwise.
Taylor’s Initial Reaction
Former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor has since categorically denied all drug trafficking charges leveled against her, describing the case as a politically motivated witch-hunt and an abuse of state power.
In a statement released Saturday, Howard-Taylor’s office rejected “in the strongest possible terms” all charges read against her by Minister of Justice Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh. “These allegations are baseless, unfounded, and without merit, and Her Excellency will not accept a single word of them,” the statement read.
The former vice president faces seven criminal counts under three separate legal frameworks: unlicensed importation of a controlled substance, unlicensed sale and transportation, illicit trafficking, criminal solicitation, facilitation, conspiracy, and money laundering. Each count carries significant prison time upon conviction.
Howard-Taylor was barred from leaving Liberia early Wednesday morning when joint security forces intercepted her at Roberts International Airport. Her office stated there had been “no prior notice that she was under investigation and no summons for questioning”.
Authorities were attempting to connect her to individuals allegedly under investigation for transnational criminal activity, “based solely on official engagements carried out during her tenure as Vice President”.
“Let us be absolutely clear that contacts and engagements carried out in the course of executing her official duties are not evidence of participation in anyone’s alleged crimes,” the statement emphasized.
The former vice president’s legal team, including former Supreme Court Associate Justice Kabineh M. Ja’neh and Israel Akinsaya, maintained she was prepared to voluntarily report to Police Headquarters. However, while traveling to meet her lawyers, her vehicle was intercepted on the Congo Town back road, and she was escorted to police headquarters.
Howard-Taylor’s office has also alleged that unnamed government figures may have contemplated using artificial intelligence to manufacture doctored audio and video recordings intended to implicate her. It described the allegation as “an extremely serious and alarming development,” while saying any audio or video material presented as evidence would be subjected to independent forensic examination.
Health Concerns and Court Proceedings
Jewel Howard-Taylor was hospitalized after reportedly experiencing an asthma attack and elevated blood pressure while in police custody. While at GIMS, police Inspector General Gregory Coleman later said she was stable, communicating and receiving visitors, while doctors continued observing her.
On Aug. 25, her lawyers sought additional time for her to remain hospitalized, but the Monrovia City Court denied the request and ordered her transferred to the Monrovia Central Prison. The medical report states that prior to her discharge, she had experienced no significant adverse events, with relatively stable blood pressure and blood-sugar readings.
Her lawyers argued that Madam Howard-Taylor is seriously ill and that the life-threatening nature of her condition warranted keeping her at the medical facility while her case proceeds. However, prosecutors opposed the request, and the court sided with the prosecution, ordering that the former Vice President be taken to the Monrovia Central Prison.
The defense team also requested access to the evidence submitted against Madam Howard-Taylor. The court granted that request, allowing her lawyers to review the evidence being presented by the prosecution in the case. After Madam Jewel Howard Taylor was taken to the Monrovia Central Prison, the legal team said they were denied access to see her again at the prison facility.
Political Reactions
Jefferson T. Koijee, the Secretary General of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), noted on Tuesday via his official Facebook page: “The mighty CDC is the authentic revolutionary spirit of the people, forged in struggle, tested by history and strengthened by every storm. The Blue Revolution is indestructible and indefatigable! A regime surviving on borrowed time may believe framing a former Vice President can postpone its political demise, but history cannot be arrested. The people will rise through it! JTK”.
Former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah Jr. has warned that the prosecution of Howard-Taylor could cause “grave harm” to Liberia’s international image if the government fails to produce compelling evidence to support the charges.
Tweah argued that because Howard-Taylor occupied Liberia’s second-highest elected office, allegations linking her to transnational narcotics trafficking carry implications beyond partisan politics and could affect how Liberia and its leadership are perceived internationally.
“Japanese, Swedes, Brazilians, Angolans, Australians or Canadians do not know CDC or the UP. They see Liberia through the prism of the presidency or the vice-presidency and through other national symbols,” an Tweah said.
According to him, allegations against a former vice president could easily be interpreted outside Liberia as reflecting on the. country and its national leadership rather than merely on “If people in other countries are going to make this statement, then the government has to be 200 percent certain and the evidence has to be unimpeachable and impeccably sacrosanct,” Tweah stated.
The Coalition of Bong County Eminent Citizens, representing stakeholders from all seven electoral districts, has condemned what it describes as the “unlawful,” degrading and humiliating treatment of the former vice president. The statement was read in Monrovia by Bong County District #5 Representative Eugine J.M. Kollie.
The coalition brings together traditional leaders, women’s groups, youth, students, teachers, farmers, motorcyclists, market dealers, professionals, and other community stakeholders.
The group cited Articles 11, 20 and 21 of the Liberian Constitution, dealing respectively with equality before the law, due process and personal liberty and human dignity. “Justice must be equal, or it is not justice,” the coalition declared.
The group is calling for Howard-Taylor’s immediate release into the care of her family to enable her to receive what it describes as urgent and appropriate medical treatment. The group has urged President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to establish an independent investigative mechanism to examine the wider narcotics affair.
The National Patriotic Party, which Taylor chairs as standard bearer, has called on the government to protect her rights, dignity and physical well-being, while saying it supports the broader anti-trafficking effort and remains committed to cooperating with the investigation.
Broader Context
The Howard-Taylor case comes as Liberia has been confronting growing concern over illicit drugs and transnational criminal networks, including a major cocaine seizure that authorities valued at approximately US$317 million. The seizure has been described as one of the largest narcotics seizures in the country’s history.
The indictment arrives closely on the heels of Liberia’s largest-ever recorded narcotics seizure, during which law enforcement confiscated nearly four tonnes of cocaine estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars and bound for Europe.
Officials clarified that while the massive bust and the case against the former vice president stem from a broader government initiative targeting organized crime, they remain separate operational matters.
West Africa has increasingly functioned as a primary transit corridor for cocaine moving from South America into European consumer markets, with cartels routinely exploiting porous borders and limited regional enforcement capacity.
