Published: August 22, 2026
MONROVIA — Former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor has broken her silence on criminal charges linking her to Liberia’s sprawling cocaine investigation, categorically rejecting the allegations as “baseless, unfounded, and without merit” and vowing to fight what she describes as a politically motivated attempt to destroy her reputation.
Howard-Taylor, political leader of the opposition National Patriotic Party, is facing charges including cocaine trafficking, criminal conspiracy and money laundering, making her the most senior political figure accused in an investigation that has also drawn scrutiny to officials and personnel within Liberia’s security apparatus.
In a strongly worded statement released Saturday, Aug. 22, her office rejected all charges announced against her by Justice Minister and Attorney General N. Oswald Tweh and questioned whether the government’s investigation represents a legitimate law enforcement exercise or an effort to politically discredit her.
“These allegations are baseless, unfounded, and without merit, and Her Excellency will not accept a single word of them,” the statement said.
The government has accused Howard-Taylor of offenses under the Controlled Drug and Substance Act of 2023, the Penal Law and the Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Law.
She faces seven counts, including unlicensed importation of a controlled drug or substance under Section 14.83; unlicensed sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution, dispatch in transit and transportation under Section 14.85; and illicit trafficking under Section 14.93.
She is also charged with criminal solicitation, criminal facilitation and criminal conspiracy under Chapter 10 of the Penal Law, as well as money laundering under Section 15.2 of the Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Law.
Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman has linked the former vice president to the Duazon seizure involving 3,971 kilograms of cocaine recovered from a warehouse in Margibi County in July. Police have valued the drugs at approximately US$317.68 million, describing the seizure as the largest narcotics haul in Liberia’s history.
The broader investigation has also involved the earlier seizure of cocaine valued at more than US$19 million.
Howard-Taylor’s latest statement comes days after authorities prevented her from leaving Liberia through Roberts International Airport on Wednesday, Aug. 19.
Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah confirmed on state radio that the former vice president had been taken into custody as a person of interest in connection with the ongoing cocaine investigation.
According to Piah, Howard-Taylor was intercepted while preparing to board an ASKY Airlines flight.
Howard-Taylor, however, has provided a different account of the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Her office said she was traveling to Accra, Ghana, to deliver a keynote address at a women’s forum when authorities informed her that she could not leave Liberia.
The statement said Howard-Taylor had received no prior notification that she was under investigation and had not been summoned for questioning before being stopped at the airport.
“She was stopped from leaving Roberts International Airport en route to deliver a keynote address in Accra, Ghana — with no prior notice that she was under investigation and no summons for questioning,” her office said.
“The Office subsequently learned that authorities were attempting to connect her to individuals allegedly under investigation for transnational criminal activity, based solely on official engagements carried out during her tenure as Vice President.”
Howard-Taylor served as Liberia’s vice president from 2018 to 2024 under former President George Weah.
Her office argued that interactions she had with individuals while performing official duties cannot, by themselves, establish participation in criminal activity.
It maintained that she “did not participate in, facilitate, finance, conceal, or knowingly associate herself with any drug-trafficking operation or criminal network,” categorically rejecting suggestions to the contrary.
Howard-Taylor’s office also disputed the manner in which she was taken into police custody.
According to the statement, she informed authorities at the airport that she was prepared to voluntarily report to Liberia National Police headquarters accompanied by her lawyers.
But while traveling to meet her legal team, her office said, Howard-Taylor’s vehicle was intercepted along the Congo Town Back Road and she was escorted to police headquarters, where she was subsequently charged in the presence of her lawyers.
The office described the circumstances as troubling and argued that a former vice president who had expressed willingness to cooperate with investigators should not have been treated in such a manner.
Howard-Taylor later experienced a medical emergency while in police custody and was taken under police escort to the Gomez Institute of Medical Sciences in Sophie Community, Congo Town.
She reportedly suffered an asthma attack and a significant increase in blood pressure while being held at LNP headquarters.
Her hospitalization resulted in the postponement of an expected appearance before the Monrovia City Court, adding another twist to a case that has attracted intense national attention.
Beyond denying the criminal allegations, Howard-Taylor’s office made another serious accusation against unnamed elements within the government, alleging that there are plans to manufacture audio and visual evidence against her using artificial intelligence.
“The Office has also been made aware of plans by elements within the government to doctor and create audio and visual recordings, using artificial intelligence, to generate fabricated evidence against Her Excellency,” the statement said.
“This is an extremely serious and alarming development. It speaks to the lengths to which state actors may be prepared to go to construct a false narrative, and any such manufactured material will be met with independent forensic scrutiny.”
The statement did not publicly provide evidence supporting the allegation of planned AI-generated material or identify the government officials it accused of being involved.
Howard-Taylor’s office maintained that she would neither be intimidated nor accept what it described as “guilt by association.”
It said the timing, manner and circumstances surrounding the charges have raised questions about whether the government is pursuing an impartial criminal investigation or using legitimate law enforcement concerns as a political weapon against a former vice president.
Howard-Taylor considers the case “a politically motivated witch-hunt and an abuse of state power,” according to the statement, which called for scrutiny of whether Liberia’s state institutions are being applied impartially.
“Let there be no mistake about her response: she will fight this through the law, confront every allegation, and defend her name, record, and integrity,” her office said.
“She remains confident the truth will prevail, and welcomes a fair, transparent investigation based on evidence — not insinuation, political pressure, or manufactured narratives.”
Her office called on the government to respect due process and allow the courts, rather than political interests, to determine the validity of the charges.
It also urged Liberians to remain calm as the case progresses, while stressing that respect for the legal process should not prevent citizens from demanding accountability from the government.
“Let the Government present its evidence. Let the courts do their work. Let the truth be tested in the open,” the statement said.
“Her Excellency Jewel Howard-Taylor has served Liberia at the highest levels of government. She has nothing to hide and will not run from the law — but neither will she allow her name to be dragged through the mud for political purposes.”
According to the statement, Howard-Taylor intends to challenge the government’s case through the courts and defend herself against each allegation.
“She will stand, she will fight, and she will defend the truth,” her office said.
