Monrovia — Political Leader of the Alternative National Congress, Alexander Benedict Cummings, on Sunday, led a high-level delegation of the party to the Monrovia Central Prison to visit former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor and call for speedy, fair, and non-selective justice in the ongoing cocaine trafficking case.
Taylor has been held at the Monrovia Central Prison, commonly known as South Beach, after being placed in pre-trial detention following her initial appearance before the Monrovia City Court.
She faces eight counts, including alleged unlicensed importation, sale, and trafficking of controlled drugs, in connection with an investigation into an alleged transnational narcotics trafficking network linked to the seizure of approximately four tonnes of cocaine valued at about US$317 million—the largest reported narcotics seizure in Liberia’s history.
Cummings was accompanied by ANC National Chairman Cllr. Lafayette O. Gould, former Montserrado County senatorial candidate Madam Victoria Koiquah, senior members of the party’s National Executive Committee, and other ANC partisans.
The delegation met privately with Taylor to offer moral support and assess her welfare.
Speaking to journalists after leaving the prison compound, Cummings expressed concern about Taylor’s detention and the manner in which the case is being handled, saying it appeared to be becoming “more political than legal.”
“I came this afternoon to visit the former Vice President, Jewel Howard-Taylor. The former Vice President is a friend; I call her my ‘small sister.’ I came to empathize with her and check on her circumstantial situation,” Cummings said.
He urged the government to uphold the presumption of innocence and allow the evidence to guide the investigation and prosecution.
“My message to the government is as follows: One is, of course, the legal piece of it: the innocent are presumed innocent until proven guilty. There is a presumption of innocence, and the evidence should be followed wherever it leads,” he said.
Cummings also called for the case to be handled expeditiously, stressing that justice should not be applied selectively.
“But justice needs to be speedy. You know they say, ‘Justice delayed is justice denied.’ It needs to be speedy, and justice should not be selective,” he added.
The ANC leader expressed broader concern over the country’s growing narcotics problem, accusing authorities of failing to adequately address the threat.
“It appears that justice is being selectively prescribed. This narcotic drug issue is a serious problem for our country. Our country appears to be becoming a narco-state, and it is happening now under this government’s watch,” Cummings said.
He called on the Ministry of Justice, the Liberia National Police, and the Judiciary to expedite proceedings while ensuring that the investigation and prosecution meet standards of fairness, transparency, and credibility.
Cummings specifically urged authorities to respect Taylor’s constitutional rights, including her access to legal counsel, family members, and adequate medical care.
The visit comes amid heightened political and public scrutiny of Liberia’s ongoing investigation into the country’s record-setting cocaine seizures and allegations of a broader transnational trafficking network.
The ANC has maintained that the narcotics investigation should be comprehensive and impartial, with all individuals connected to the alleged trafficking network investigated and prosecuted based on credible evidence, regardless of political affiliation or status.
Cummings’ latest intervention similarly called for Taylor to receive a speedy trial while emphasizing that the broader fight against narcotics trafficking must be pursued without political favoritism or selective justice.
The ANC said its position remains that the rule of law and due process must guide the investigation and prosecution, while the evidence should determine who is held accountable.
Cummings’ solidarity visit also underscores the growing political concern over the handling of the cocaine investigation, with opposition figures and civil society actors increasingly demanding greater transparency and consistency in the government’s response to the narcotics crisis.
For the ANC, the case presents an opportunity for Liberia to demonstrate that its justice system can pursue serious allegations while simultaneously protecting the constitutional rights of every accused person.
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