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MONROVIA, Liberia — The prosecution’s first witness in the criminal case involving former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor has testified that she allegedly met suspected members of an international drug-trafficking organization in Dubai and discussed providing protection for their operations in Liberia.
Raphael Wilson, an official of the Liberia National Police’s Crime Services Division, presented the allegations Friday during Howard-Taylor’s preliminary examination at the Monrovia City Court.
The hearing is intended to determine whether prosecutors have established probable cause to send the case to a higher court for trial. It is not a trial or determination of Howard-Taylor’s guilt.
Wilson testified that alleged cartel members, led by Croatian national Nikola Ivancic, met Sheikh Bassirou Kante in Dubai in 2021. According to Wilson, the group told Kante that they had previously attempted to conduct business in Liberia but had been defrauded.
Wilson said the group initially withheld the nature of its business but requested connections to senior Liberian government officials who could provide protection and security.
He alleged that Kante subsequently connected the group with Howard-Taylor, who was serving as Liberia’s vice president at the time.
Alleged Dubai meeting
According to Wilson’s testimony, Howard-Taylor traveled from Monrovia through Accra to Dubai with a five-member delegation. He identified her sister, Noah Howard, and a woman named Bernice Taylor as members of the delegation but said they did not participate in the alleged discussions.
Wilson testified that Howard-Taylor later met with Kante, Ivancic and two other men identified as Tony and Michael at a Dubai hotel.
During that meeting, he alleged, the men disclosed that they were involved in drug trafficking and wanted to use Liberia as a transit point for narcotics.
Wilson further claimed that video footage exists showing Howard-Taylor, Kante and alleged members of the organization aboard a yacht in Dubai. The purported recordings and videos have not yet been publicly authenticated or fully examined in court.
Campaign-financing allegations
Wilson also alleged that Ivancic asked Howard-Taylor whether she intended to contest Liberia’s presidency. According to his testimony, Howard-Taylor did not provide a direct answer but allegedly requested US$100 million.
Wilson claimed that the alleged cartel members instead promised as much as US$250 million to support a potential presidential campaign.
The witness made an additional allegation that Howard-Taylor discussed winning the 2023 election, governing for three years and subsequently arranging the assassination of then-President George Weah.
Wilson said an audio recording allegedly supports that claim. However, the recording was not played during the proceeding, and its authenticity, completeness and context have not been established. The circumstances surrounding the defense’s objection to playing the recording were also not immediately clear.
Because of the seriousness of the allegation, it remains solely an accusation contained in the witness’s testimony and should not be presented as an established fact.
Phone evidence cited
Wilson testified that he surrendered his telephone to investigators, who allegedly extracted WhatsApp messages, photographs and other communications involving Howard-Taylor.
It remains unclear whether forensic experts have authenticated the extracted material, whether Wilson personally participated in all the alleged conversations or whether portions of his testimony were based on information provided by other people.
The prosecution is expected to present additional evidence as the preliminary examination continues.
Howard-Taylor faces multiple charges, including illicit drug trafficking, money laundering, criminal conspiracy, criminal facilitation and related offenses. Investigators have separately alleged that she received US$135,000 from individuals associated with the suspected network.
She has denied all allegations, describing the prosecution as baseless and politically motivated. Her lawyers are expected to challenge Wilson’s account through cross-examination and dispute the admissibility and reliability of the purported electronic evidence.
Howard-Taylor remains presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
