—-Wants Public distinguish between unproven allegations, indictments, and convictions
IPNEWS: The family and legal support team of former Liberian Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor has issued an official statement maintaining her complete innocence, demanding due process, and clarifying their legal strategy.
This statement comes after her arrest in late August 2026 on charges of drug trafficking, money laundering, and criminal conspiracy, and her subsequent release to house arrest on compassionate grounds.
The defense highlighted that she has not yet been indicted by a grand jury. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and does not equate to a conviction or formal indictment. [
The legal team chose to withdraw their request for a preliminary examination of the state’s evidence. They explained that rather than forcing a limited preview where the court already denied certain elements, they intend to proceed straight to a full trial. This will ensure they gain complete access to the prosecution’s pre-trial evidence to build an uncompromised defense.
The family strongly urged the Liberian government, public officials, and the media to distinguish between unproven allegations, indictments, and convictions. They asked that public figures cease making prejudicial statements that treat the former Vice President as guilty before a court ruling.
The statement explicitly noted that Madam Howard-Taylor is not asking for special privileges, but is demanding the constitutional protections owed to all Liberians, including humane treatment and an impartial legal process.
Jewel Howard-Taylor—who served as Vice President from 2018 to 2024 and is the ex-wife of former President Charles Taylor—was stopped by authorities at Roberts International Airport on August 19, 2026, while attempting to travel to Ghana. Government prosecutors allege that she is linked to an international narcotics ring, supposedly tied to leaked audio recordings involving a Ukrainian-Croatian network. Her defense maintains that these claims are entirely false and expresses total confidence that she will be fully vindicated when the evidence is lawfully tested in court.
