Court Sends Jewel Howard-Taylor to Jail, Rejects Humanitarian Release Request

MONROVIA, Liberia: The Monrovia City Court has ordered former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor sent to jail after rejecting a request from her lawyers for her release on humanitarian grounds.

The request followed a medical emergency Howard-Taylor reportedly suffered while in police custody, which resulted in her being taken under police escort to the Gomez Institute of Medical Sciences for treatment.

Despite her medical condition, Stipendiary Magistrate Ben Barco on Wednesday declined the defense’s request for her release and ordered her detained as the criminal case against her proceeds.

Howard-Taylor is facing multiple charges, including alleged illicit drug trafficking, criminal conspiracy, criminal facilitation, money laundering and abuse of office.

She was stopped at Roberts International Airport on August 19 while preparing to travel to Ghana and was subsequently taken into police custody.

Her lawyers have strongly rejected the accusations, describing them as baseless and politically motivated, and have vowed to challenge the government’s case in court.

The charges remain allegations. Howard-Taylor has not been convicted of the offenses and is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.