MONROVIA — A newly obtained Writ of Arrest issued by the Monrovia City Court, in possession of FrontPageAfrica, accuses former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor of years-long collaboration with a transnational cocaine trafficking ring, alleging she received tens of thousands of dollars in cash from cartel figures — including a payment as recent as this month.
By Rodney D. Sieh | [email protected]
The Writ
The writ, signed by Clerk of Court Abel Kalay and dated August 25, 2026, orders police to arrest Taylor on charges including importation and exportation of controlled drugs, unlicensed sale and trafficking, criminal conspiracy, criminal facilitation and criminal solicitation. It lays out a detailed narrative:
In 2021, the writ alleges, Sheikh Bashiru Kante brought two foreign nationals — Taras Zadereiko (“Tony”) and Mihovil Vrovac (“Michael”) — to Liberia, where the three conspired to move cocaine between Liberia and Europe.
In 2022, Kante allegedly introduced the pair to Taylor, then vice president, at her residence in Congo Town. They reportedly invited her to Dubai to meet Nikola Ivancic, described in the document as a Croatian national and cartel “ring leader.”
In Dubai, the writ claims, Taylor received $45,000 from Ivancic and later returned to Liberia, maintaining contact with the network and receiving a further $75,000 for her Jewel Star Fish Foundation.
The document alleges a further $15,000 payment as recently as August 2026, funneled through Kante.
The writ charges Taylor under Liberia’s Controlled Drugs and Substance Act of 2023, the New Penal Law, and the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act of 2021.
Background: How the Case Unfolded
Taylor’s legal troubles trace back to a record cocaine seizure last month — a shipment authorities valued at roughly $317–336 million — that implicated senior police officials and touched off a broader investigation reaching into the police, the National Security Agency and the prison service. That case has already produced charges against a Monrovia entertainment executive and a logistics manager, the detention and questioning of four senior police and intelligence officers, the arrest of a Monrovia Central Prison operations officer and the removal of a deputy commissioner of police, with a July warehouse raid widening the probe further.
On August 19, security authorities stopped Taylor from leaving the country as she prepared to fly to Accra for a women’s forum, and Justice Minister Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh announced formal charges that evening after hours of questioning at Liberia National Police headquarters. She was charged with unlicensed importation, sale, distribution and transportation of controlled substances, drug trafficking, criminal solicitation, criminal facilitation, criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
The government also charged three foreigners in absentia — Croatians Nikola Ivancic and Mihovil Vrovac and Ukrainian Taras Zadereiko — for their alleged roles in the network, and said it would pursue their apprehension.
Taylor, who served as vice president from 2018 to 2024 under President George Weah and previously represented Bong County in the Senate, is the former wife of ex-President Charles Taylor, who was convicted by an international tribunal for war crimes in Sierra Leone.
Health Complications and Court Delays
Taylor’s court appearance was delayed after she reportedly fell ill in custody. Her hospitalization came as her expected appearance before the Monrovia City Court was postponed, and medical personnel were called to LNP headquarters after concerns were raised about her condition; her legal team said attempts to stabilize her there were unsuccessful. Police said Taylor experienced extremely high blood pressure and, on medical advice, granted a one-day extension to allow treatment before her planned transfer to court.
Recent Developments as of Today
Political fallout is intensifying
Former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah Jr. warned that the prosecution could cause “grave harm” to Liberia’s international image if the government fails to produce compelling evidence, arguing that allegations against someone who held the country’s second-highest elected office carry implications beyond partisan politics.
Calls for her release growing
The Coalition of Bong Eminent Citizens has demanded Taylor’s immediate release, accusing authorities of violating her constitutional rights and warning of “political persecution” and selective justice, while calling for her to be given access to medical attention.
Her party is urging due process rather than release.
The National Patriotic Party, which Taylor chairs as standard bearer, has called on the government to protect her rights, dignity and physical well-being, while saying it supports the broader anti-trafficking effort and remains committed to cooperating with the investigation.
Questions over the legality of her initial detention persist.
Footage circulating on social media appeared to show Taylor asking officers to let her contact her lawyer before going to police headquarters, a request that was reportedly denied, fueling debate over whether proper procedure was followed.
What’s Next
With the Writ of Arrest now formally entered by the Monrovia City Court, Taylor’s case moves toward arraignment and trial. Her legal team is expected to contest both the procedural handling of her initial detention and the substance of the charges. The three foreign nationals named alongside her remain at large.
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