Monrovia-Five of the 19 defendants indicted alongside former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor in a drug trafficking and money laundering case have been arrested, brought before Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice and subsequently taken to the Monrovia Central Prison, where they are being held pending trial.
Among those arrested are Gerald Foley Smith, former Deputy Director for Administration of the National Security Agency, NSA, Jammel V. Jallah, Christian L. Nyantee, Cayce L. Nelson, Albenigo Janior and Sekou, according to information surrounding the court proceedings.
Mark Quiah, former Deputy Director for Operations of the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority was initially arrested late Wednesday night, October 7, and taken to the Monrovia Central Prison, making the number of arrest six, since the indictment.
The development followed a writ of arrest issued by Criminal Court “C” on October 7, 2026, ordering the Montserrado County Sheriff, Major Austine Seinavula, or his deputy, to arrest the defendants named in the indictment and bring them before the court to answer to the allegations.
The defendants have not been arraigned.
They were arrested and brought before the court pursuant to the writ and have since been taken to the Monrovia Central Prison pending further judicial proceedings.
11 Serious Criminal Charges
The indictment contains a range of allegations, including unlicensed possession of controlled drugs or substances; unlicensed importation of controlled drugs or substances; unlicensed exportation of controlled drugs or substances; unlicensed sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution, dispatch in transit and transportation of controlled drugs or substances; illicit trafficking; criminal conspiracy; criminal facilitation; criminal solicitation; money laundering; possession and sale of physical objects for lethal use; and possession of physical objects for lethal use.
The allegations represent some of the most serious criminal charges contained in the indictment, which has drawn former government officials and other individuals into the ongoing investigation and prosecution.
Court Orders Arrests
The writ of arrest, signed by J. Amos F. Gbowah, Clerk of Criminal Court “C,” commands the Montserrado County Sheriff to arrest the defendants and “forthwith” bring them before the court to answer to the charges contained in the indictment.
The writ states that the arrests are based on an indictment prepared by the Grand Jury of Montserrado County, which was duly selected, empaneled and sworn to inquire into the alleged offenses.
The court further ordered the sheriff to make an official return showing the manner in which each writ was served.
Former Security, Aviation Officials Caught in Case
The inclusion of former senior officials from Liberia’s security and aviation sectors has added significance to the case.
Smith previously served as Deputy Director for Administration at the National Security Agency, while Quiah served as Deputy Director for Operations at the LCAA.
Their detention comes as the authorities move to enforce the court’s arrest orders against the individuals named in the indictment.
The case also names former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor among the defendants, placing a former senior government official at the center of a prosecution involving allegations of drug offenses, illicit trafficking and money laundering.
However, the indictment contains allegations only, and none of the defendants is guilty unless proven so by a court of competent jurisdiction.
The defendants are entitled to due process, legal representation and a fair trial under the Liberian Constitution and applicable laws.
The latest arrests are expected to be followed by further court proceedings to determine the next legal steps in the case.
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