JEWEL DRUG CASE: $250M BID, WEAH ASSASSINATION CLAIM

Former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor came under fresh scrutiny Friday as prosecutors opened their case against her, with a senior police investigator alleging that she was linked to an international drug cartel and was offered up to US$250 million to support a presidential bid.

Howard-Taylor appeared before the Monrovia City Court for the preliminary hearing, where Assistant Commissioner for Crime Services of the Liberia National Police, Raphael Wilson, took the witness stand as the prosecution’s first witness.

Wilson told the court that the investigation traced Howard-Taylor’s alleged connection to the suspected drug network to 2021, involving individuals identified as Nicholas, Tony and Michael.

According to the police witness, the suspects wanted to use Liberia as a transit point for illegal drugs but first sought protection from a senior government official.

Wilson alleged that Bashiru Kante subsequently connected the group to Howard-Taylor, who was Vice President at the time.

He said Howard-Taylor later traveled to Dubai, where she allegedly met with Kante and members of the suspected cartel.

Wilson further alleged that the group discussed supporting Howard-Taylor if she decided to contest for the presidency.

According to his testimony, Howard-Taylor requested US$100 million, while the alleged cartel members offered US$250 million toward her campaign.

The police investigator also made a serious allegation involving the alleged assassination of then-President George Weah.

Wilson told the court that Howard-Taylor allegedly discussed remaining in power for three years before having Weah assassinated.

The allegation, however, remains part of the prosecution’s testimony and has not been proven by the court.

The investigator also presented alleged communications between Howard-Taylor and Kante, including text messages and WhatsApp exchanges.

Wilson said Kante voluntarily surrendered his phone to investigators, allowing them to extract the communications, photographs and other materials allegedly linking him to Howard-Taylor.

The presentation of the alleged messages triggered objections from Howard-Taylor’s legal team, which challenged the manner in which the evidence was obtained and argued that their client’s rights had been violated.

At the opening of Friday’s proceedings, Howard-Taylor’s lawyers also withdrew an earlier application seeking compassionate leave. The court granted the withdrawal before the preliminary hearing proceeded.

Howard-Taylor, a lawyer by profession, sat in the lawyers’ section of the courtroom rather than the prisoner’s dock as her legal team handled the proceedings.

The preliminary hearing is continuing, with prosecutors expected to present additional evidence in support of the charges against the former Vice President.