-Rejects Audio Recording
By Vaye Abel Lepolu
MONROVIA, Liberia — Lawyers for former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor have requested that the prosecution produce businessman Sheikh Bassirous as a live witness rather than relying on an alleged audio recording to advance their case, during the preliminary hearing at the Monrovia City Court.
Defense attorneys contend that playing a recording in court—without the opportunity to cross-examine the speaker—would violate their client’s constitutional guarantees of due process and effective legal representation.
The defense further insisted that all relevant evidence—including any digital communications or financial records—must be fully disclosed during the pre-trial discovery phase. They warned that withholding materials could irreparably prejudice Taylor’s ability to mount a robust response to charges linked to an alleged transnational drug-trafficking network.
Prosecutors, however, pushed back, characterizing the defense’s demand as premature. They argued that the current proceedings are strictly a preliminary hearing to determine whether probable cause exists, not a full trial on the merits.
“At this stage, the State is not obligated to unveil its entire arsenal of evidence,” a prosecutor told the court. “Our duty is simply to establish sufficient grounds for the case to move forward. Trial evidence will be presented at the proper time.”
The courtroom tension mounted as prosecution witness Raphael Wilson took the stand, offering a detailed timeline of alleged meetings involving Bassirous, unnamed business associates, and former Vice President Taylor.
Wilson testified that Bassirous traveled to Dubai, where he met two individuals at a nightclub who expressed interest in a minerals venture. According to the witness, those individuals sought access to senior Liberian officials who could provide protection for their operations—a request that eventually led to a meeting between Bassirous and Taylor in Dubai.
Wilson alleged that approximately US$27,000 was channeled through Bassirous, intended for Taylor. He further claimed that Taylor later accompanied Bassirous and his wife on private flights to Ghana and Dubai, where conversations centered on securing government backing for the businessmen’s activities.
The witness also testified that Taylor was asked about her presidential ambitions and purportedly replied that, while she could offer protection in her official capacity, she would need to inform her “boss” about the arrangement. The businessmen reportedly offered to support Taylor’s charitable foundation, Wilson added.
According to Wilson, the same individuals operated in Liberia between 2021 and 2024 as part of an alleged drug-trafficking network. He said Bassirous later surfaced during a Liberia National Police investigation into a cocaine shipment valued at roughly US$19 million. During that probe, Wilson testified, Bassirous allegedly implicated Taylor in the drug cartel’s activities.
Wilson also referred to an alleged audio recording in which Taylor purportedly directs Bassirous to make a specific request and makes remarks concerning former President George Weah. The prosecution has submitted that recording as part of its probable-cause argument.
The defense, however, has consistently challenged the authenticity and admissibility of the recording, reiterating that due process demands the opportunity to cross-examine Bassirous in person.
“A voice on a tape is not a witness. It is an artifact—and artifacts can be manipulated,” a defense source said outside the courtroom. “Sheikh Bassirous must come to court, take the stand, and face scrutiny. Anything less falls short of justice.”
Monrovia City Court has adjourned the proceedings and is scheduled to resume the case on Monday, when it will rule on the defense’s request and determine whether the prosecution has presented enough evidence to move forward.
Taylor, who has maintained her innocence throughout the proceedings, was present in court. No final determination on criminal liability has been made.
