-Liberian Women Rally Behind Former VP Taylor as Cummings Calls for Speedy Trial
By Jerromie S. Walters
MONROVIA — Scores of women leaders, lawyers, and political figures have mobilized in a display of solidarity, with former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor as she awaits trial behind bars at the Monrovia Central Prison. They framed her legal crisis as a defining test for women’s leadership and the integrity of Liberia’s justice system.
The groundswell of support comes amid intensifying national debate over the government’s anti-drug campaign, as opposition political leader Alexander B. Cummings warns that “justice is being selectively prescribed” and calls for the equal application of the law. Cummings visited Taylor in detention on Sunday, August 30, 2026.
Women Leaders Sound the Alarm
Like scores of other Liberian women, Miatta Garmai Darworlor, Executive Director of Sister Aid Liberia, has pleaded for collective action from Liberian women, arguing that Taylor’s case transcends the individual and strikes at the heart of women’s political participation in Liberia.
“For Jewel, for all women who in politics and leadership have been judged differently; have been held to different standards; have had mud and everything unprintable thrown at them—the women’s movement must take a stand,” Darworlor declared.
She emphasized that the solidarity was not born of blind loyalty but of a deeper understanding of the challenges facing women in public life. “Not because it is Jewel—the former VP, former wife of Charles Taylor. But our identity and legacy,” she explained.
Darworlor questions the credibility of the case against Taylor, urging Liberians to scrutinize the motivations behind the prosecution.
“If we may ask for a moment who is the man being used as witness against Jewel? What if she was targeted for a particular reason? Have you asked?” she challenged.
While respecting the legal process, Darworlor insisted that women must not remain silent.
“And forget about the case, Jewel represents women’s leadership and participation and she’s stood tall and firm. Always on women’s issues,” she said. “We must not lose our collective voice whilst she’s in crisis. Not even to say she’s innocent. But to say we are in solidarity. We feel her pain. Where is that collective voice? We did for Gloria; and for many sisters.”
She noted the precedent of women standing together during difficult times: “Shame on us if we cannot go back to the upper room sisters. Jewel is one of us. Because while we respect the legal process, we cannot ignore what binds us forever.”
For Cllr. Margaret Nigba, a Liberian lawyer and human rights advocate, she sees the moment as one that will define the character of the women’s movement. “SISTERHOOD MEANS SHOWING UP IN HARD TIMES,” she declared. “This is a moment that will define us.”
Cllr. Nigba stressed the constitutional principle that Taylor, like any accused person, is entitled to the presumption of innocence. “The former Vice President of the Republic of Liberia, a daughter of this nation and a trailblazer who broke ceilings for all of us, is under trial. Until a court of law proves her guilty, she is innocent. That is the law. That is our constitution. That is the principle we must defend,” she stated.
As a legal professional, Cllr. Nigba outlined the appropriate ways women can demonstrate solidarity without interfering with the judicial process. “Women’s rights and women’s solidarity are founded on the principles of justice, human rights, professional solidarity, and sisterhood, we have an obligation to demonstrate empathy and support for one another, particularly during difficult and trying moments,” she said.
While urging respect for the investigation, she called for collective advocacy to ensure Taylor’s rights are protected. “While we must not interfere with the ongoing investigation, obstruct the administration of justice, or prejudge the merits of the allegations, we can appropriately demonstrate our support and solidarity with our colleague and sister as she goes through this difficult period,” Cllr. Nigba said.
She listed concrete actions: “This may include visiting her, praying with and encouraging her, while at the same time calling upon the State and all relevant authorities to ensure that her fundamental rights including the right to due process, equality before the law, humane treatment, and the presumption of innocence are fully respected in accordance with the law.”
Nigba referenced the memory of when women stood for former Justice Cllr. Gloria Scott during her legal challenges. “We have done this before. When Cllr. Gloria Scott faced her darkest hour; Liberian women did not look away. We stood. We spoke. We showed that sisterhood is not a slogan it is action,” she recalled. “Our silence today will be written in the history books.”
Alice Baysah, National Women Congress Chairperson of the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC) and a former representative candidate in Margibi County, has also
expressed her unwavering support for Taylor, whom she has known since childhood.
“I have known you since childhood, and I know the kind of character, strength, and courage you possess. In all honesty, my sister, continue to remain strong, courageous, and resilient. This too shall pass,” Baysah said.
However, she was careful to separate her personal solidarity from any endorsement of drug trafficking. “Let me state publicly and unequivocally that I do not support drug trafficking in any form, nor do I believe anyone should be considered guilty until they have had their day in a court of competent jurisdiction and due process has been followed,” Baysah stated.
Baysah directed pointed criticism at the government, questioning why Taylor appears to be receiving different treatment compared to others implicated in the drug investigation.
“Drug trafficking is not a Unity Party, CDC, or CMC issue. It is Liberia versus drugs—not one political party against another,” she declared.
She called for all investigations to be thorough and impartial. “Anyone found to be involved in drug trafficking should be investigated thoroughly and, where the evidence establishes guilt, punished in accordance with the laws of Liberia. We must ensure that every investigation is impartial, transparent, and free from political influence,” Baysah said.
“It is deeply concerning and frustrating to see allegations of similar crimes involving others while questions remain about why Jewel is being treated differently,” she added. “Justice must be applied fairly and equally to everyone, regardless of political affiliation, status, or position”. Baysah concluded with a message of encouragement: “My sister, keep standing strong and vibrant. Do not lose courage. Until the finish line, we will keep pushing”.
Also, Cllr. Moriah Yeakula, a prominent Liberian female lawyer, shared a response to seeing Taylor’s demeanor during her ordeal. “With all the emotions I felt today, this one photo of her made me smile and I said, that’s the spirit!—When they expect you to cower and bow your head, hold it up high,” Cllr. Yeakula wrote. She urged Taylor to remain defiant: “Keep holding your head up, Mama. Never bow. Never bend. Never break. No matter what. May God give you strength and good health to face your accusers.”
Cummings Demands Equal Justice
Alexander B. Cummings, Political Leader of the opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC), visited Taylor at the Monrovia Central Prison on Sunday, August 31, 2026, becoming one of the most prominent opposition figures to meet with the detained former vice president. His public message to the government was unequivocal: “Justice needs to be speedy. You know they say, ‘Justice delayed is justice denied.’ It needs to be speedy, and justice should not be selective.”
Cummings directly accused the government of conducting a politically motivated prosecution.
“It appears that justice is being selectively prescribed,” he said. “This narcotic drug issue is a serious problem for our country. Our country appears to be becoming a narco-state, and it is happening now under this government’s watch.”
He demanded that the government pursue all implicated individuals, not just political opponents. “We want to see prosecution. We want to see arrests of current officials because it is happening now. We want speedy justice. We want an independent investigation of this problem because, again, it appears not to be independent. It appears to be rigged; it appears to be one-sided,” Cummings stated.
“So, the message is: let’s apply justice evenly to everybody. Let’s not be selective. Again, let’s have a speedy trial and speedy justice.”
On his conversation with Taylor, Cummings maintained discretion: “No, that conversation was private between her and me. She obviously feels aggrieved. She feels they have no evidence, etc., but I will say no more.”
However, he reiterated his stance on accountability. “Anybody, no matter who they are, if they are associated with this issue, if the evidence is there, they should be arrested,” he said. Cummings referenced remarks by the Inspector General of Police suggesting that “big shots, big heads in this government” were implicated. “We want to know who they are because otherwise the process seems unjust. It seems selective. It doesn’t seem fair, and we just want a fair process.”
Cummings expressed personal shock at the allegations, while insisting on following the evidence. “Again, I don’t put my head on the chopping block for anybody because you never know. But it’s not my impression that the person, the woman I know, will be involved in what is being alleged,” he said. “But again, let’s see the evidence. The person I know, I would be very surprised. I’d be very shocked. But let’s see the facts. Let’s see the evidence.”
He confirmed that he had followed through on his commitment to engage international partners in the investigation. “Look, I said I would speak to international partners to get involved, and I did do that. I think beyond that, I would not comment. People can draw their own conclusions about whether I influenced that or not, but I did make that commitment, and I did follow through on that commitment,” Cummings said.
Taylor’s Legacy of Women’s Advocacy
The former vice president’s August 2026 legal crisis has left a complex footprint on gender advocacy in Liberia, where she has long been viewed as a foundational champion for female leadership.
Taylor, who served as Liberia’s 30th Vice President from 2018 to 2024 under the administration of George Weah, was a fierce advocate for political parity. She recently traveled to regional summits such as the West Africa Women’s Political Leadership Forum to push West African governments to legally mandate 50% female representation in parliaments.
Throughout her tenure in the Senate and executive office, she steered significant national conversations toward strengthening protection laws for women and children against exploitation and domestic abuse.
Her private NGO, the Jewel Starfish Foundation, has provided continuous academic sponsorships, mentorship, and leadership coaching tailored specifically to more than 15,000 marginalized girls and young women across Liberia in high school and at the university level through both local and international scholarships.
On Saturday, December 13, 2025, the Foundation celebrated a quarter-century of work supporting girls’ education at its 25th Anniversary Dinner, unveiling a focused five-year strategy to scale menstrual health services, STEM training, and job-placement programs across Liberia.
The Charges Against Taylor
The former vice president was detained early Wednesday morning at Roberts International Airport while attempting to depart the country, in connection with allegations of involvement in a transnational cocaine trafficking network.
According to a writ of arrest filed by the Ministry of Justice, Howard-Taylor allegedly maintained links with a cocaine trafficking organization that used Liberia as a transit point for shipments destined for Europe. The complaint alleges activities dating from 2021 through 2026, involving foreign nationals and Liberian intermediaries.
The former vice president faces seven criminal counts: 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.
The government alleges that Croatian and Ukrainian nationals—Taras Zadereiko, also known as “Tony,” and Mihovil Vrovac, also known as “Michael”—were brought to Liberia by Sheik Bashiru Kante, who prosecutors claim introduced them to Howard-Taylor in 2022 while she served as vice president.
Prosecutors further claim that Howard-Taylor traveled to Dubai, where she allegedly met Nikola Ivancic, described as the alleged kingpin of the cocaine trafficking organization.
The government alleges discussions centered on using Liberia as a transit route, and that Taylor received $45,000 from Ivancic while shopping in Dubai. According to investigators, Taylor later received $75,000 through Kante for her Jewel Star Fish Foundation, and an additional $15,000 in August 2026. Prosecutors claim an audio recording exists in which Taylor expresses appreciation to Ivancic.
Taylor’s Denial
Howard-Taylor categorically denied all charges, describing the case as a “politically motivated witch-hunt” and an abuse of state power. In a statement, her office rejected “in the strongest possible terms” all charges, stating that “these allegations are baseless, unfounded, and without merit”.
Her legal team, including former Supreme Court Associate Justice Kabineh M. Ja’neh, maintains that Howard-Taylor was prepared to voluntarily report to Police Headquarters but security forces intercepted her vehicle while she traveled to meet her lawyers and escorted her to police custody.
The former vice president’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, describing the allegation as “an extremely serious and alarming development”. “Any audio or video evidence will undergo independent forensic examination,” her office stated.
National Drug Crisis Deepens
The case unfolds against the backdrop of a devastating drug crisis. An estimated 13% of Liberia’s population engages in illicit drug abuse, with up to 20% of the country’s youth suffering from substance addiction—rates enormously higher than the global average, driven by post-conflict trauma and lack of employment.
President Boakai declared his administration would pursue the fight against illicit drug trafficking and organized crime with “deliberate, coordinated, and unrelenting” resolve.
In an address to the nation, Boakai emphasized that “no office, status, or political connection would shield anyone from justice,” framing the crackdown as a moral and national security imperative rather than a political vendetta.
“This Administration will enforce the law without fear or favor while protecting the constitutional rights of every person,” Boakai said. “Whether one has held high office, served in government, led a business, or lived as an ordinary citizen, the law must apply equally to all.”
However, the President’s pledge of impartial justice has been complicated by separate allegations that have surfaced against some of his own top security officials. Claims on social media have linked Justice Minister Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh Sr. and Liberia National Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman to a drug cartel.
Additionally, the president’s son, Jojo Boakai, has been accused of maintaining a close relationship with the alleged cartel. None of these individuals, including Boakai Jr., has been added to the ongoing investigation, raising questions about the administration’s commitment to equal application of the law.
Meanwhile, 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 coalition 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. All allegations against Howard-Taylor remain unproven in court. She is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
