Liberia: Weah Accuses Boakai Government of Tampering With Justice

What the report says

Former Liberian President George Weah has publicly criticized the Boakai administration over the prosecution of his former vice president, Jewel Howard-Taylor, saying the government is interfering with justice. According to The Liberian Investigator via AllAfrica, Weah made the comments on Wednesday after returning to Liberia from Ghana, speaking to reporters at his home in the Rehab area of Paynesville. He said he planned to visit Howard-Taylor at Monrovia Central Prison and urged political leaders and the judiciary to protect the rule of law through dialogue.

Howard-Taylor, who served as vice president under Weah from 2018 to 2024, was arrested on Aug. 19 at Roberts International Airport and charged in connection with allegations of drug trafficking, money laundering and related offenses. The case stems from a major cocaine seizure in Duazon on July 21 that authorities say involved nearly four metric tons of the drug and is the largest narcotics seizure recorded in Liberia. She has denied the allegations, and a Monrovia City Court magistrate later granted a request for a preliminary examination while rejecting a bid to keep her hospitalized instead of in custody.

The article says Weah described the government as unacceptable and argued that the justice system should not be politicized, though he did not specify which actions he viewed as interference. The report also notes that he linked his criticism to broader attacks on the Boakai-Koung administration, saying it has not delivered the changes it promised. The case has become politically sensitive because it involves a prominent opposition figure and what officials describe as the country’s largest drug prosecution, making it a test of both law enforcement and public confidence in the courts.