Liberia: Cummings Demands Equal Justice in Drug Case

What the report says

Alexander B. Cummings, the political leader of Liberia’s opposition Alternative National Congress, is urging the government to handle the narcotics case involving former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor with speed, transparency and impartiality. According to the Liberian Observer report distributed by AllAfrica, Cummings made the remarks after visiting Howard-Taylor at Monrovia Central Prison on August 30, where she is being held as part of a wider investigation into an alleged transnational drug-trafficking network.

Cummings said his visit was meant to encourage Howard-Taylor and express concern for her welfare, while stopping short of declaring her innocent. He argued that the case should be decided on evidence and that all people implicated in the alleged network should be treated the same, regardless of political affiliation or position. He also warned that public confidence could suffer if authorities appear to pursue only figures linked to the former administration while overlooking others.

Howard-Taylor, who served as vice president from 2018 to 2024, was arrested at Monrovia’s Roberts International Airport on August 19 as she allegedly tried to leave the country. Authorities have charged her with offenses including unlicensed importation, sale, distribution and transportation of controlled substances, along with criminal conspiracy, facilitation and solicitation. The case has also drawn allegations of money laundering and claims of links to a broader operation said to involve large-scale drug trafficking.

The article says the matter has become a wider political test for the Boakai administration’s anti-drug campaign and its pledge to apply the law evenly. Opposition figures and lawmakers have also raised concerns about due process and selective prosecution, making the case a broader debate about accountability and rule of law in Liberia.