By Stephen G. Fellajuah
Monrovia, Liberia, August 21, 2026 — Former Speaker of Liberia’s 54th Legislature, Dr. Bhofal Chambers, has called for the death penalty for individuals convicted of drug trafficking as Liberia confronts a series of major narcotics investigations.
“For me, I feel sincerely that all drug traffickers should face a death penalty,” Chambers said Thursday, August 20, 2026, during an interview while visiting the headquarters of the Liberia National Police (LNP).
Despite his call for severe punishment for drug traffickers, Chambers strongly defended former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor, insisting that she is innocent of the drug-related allegations against her.
His comments come amid growing national concern over Liberia’s fight against drug trafficking, following the seizure of cocaine shipments valued at approximately US$19.2 million and US$317.68 million in separate investigations.
The political stakes surrounding Liberia’s drug crisis have intensified following the charging of former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor in a separate investigation involving allegations of drug trafficking, money laundering and related offenses.
The government has maintained that there will be no “selective justice” and that anyone against whom credible evidence is established will be prosecuted.
Authorities have also emphasized that the Howard-Taylor investigation is separate from the US$317.68 million Duazon cocaine case.
Against this backdrop, Chambers’ call for the death penalty for drug traffickers, coupled with his insistence on Howard-Taylor’s innocence, has added to the growing national debate over drug enforcement, punishment, due process and accountability.
While Chambers is advocating the harshest possible punishment for convicted drug traffickers, Howard-Taylor, like any accused person, remains entitled to due process, and the allegations against her must be established through the appropriate legal proceedings.
