Grand Jury Indicts Ex-VP Taylor, Others

By Lincoln G. Peters

TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia, October 7, 2026: The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Justice, has formally indicted former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor and several others on multiple charges in connection with the alleged US$317 million cocaine trafficking case.

Also named in the indictment are Mark Quiah, former Deputy Director for Operations of the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA), and Gerald Foley Smith, former Deputy Director for Administration of the National Security Agency (NSA), along with several Liberian and foreign nationals.

The indictment was returned by a Montserrado County grand jury and filed Wednesday, October 7, before the First Judicial Circuit, Criminal Court “C,” at the Temple of Justice, where Assigned Circuit Judge Ousman F. Feika is presiding.

The defendants face multiple counts, including unlicensed possession of controlled drugs or substances; unlicensed importation and exportation of controlled drugs or substances; unlicensed sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution, dispatch in transit and transportation of controlled drugs or substances; illicit trafficking; criminal conspiracy; criminal facilitation; criminal solicitation; money laundering; and offenses involving physical objects for lethal use.

Those named in the indictment include Howard-Taylor; Quiah; Smith; Edison M. Brown; Mohammed Alpha Bah; Jammel V. Jallah; Christian L. Nyantee; Christopher Saryeecee; Cayce L. Nelson; Deputy Anthony T. Blaye; ACP Wadell W. Kwarbo; and Albenigo Janior.

The indictment also names several foreign nationals, including Nikola Ivancic, also known as Nikolas Ivancic; Taras Zadereiko, also known as Tony, a Ukrainian national; Mihovil Vrovac, also known as Michael, a Croatian national; Srdan Seles; John David Garces; Sheik Bashiru Kante; Sekou; Nana; and others yet to be identified.

Along with the indictment, Criminal Court “C” issued a writ directing the sheriff to arrest the defendants and bring them before the court to answer to the charges.

The writ commands the sheriff to arrest the named defendants based on the indictment returned by the grand jury and bring them before Criminal Court “C” during its August Term.

The court also ordered Sheriff Augustin Seinavula, or his deputy, to make an official return on the writ detailing the manner in which it was served.

Wednesday’s indictment marks a significant new stage in the government’s prosecution of Howard-Taylor, who was initially arrested in August in connection with an alleged transnational narcotics network.

She had previously been charged with several drug-related offenses, criminal conspiracy, criminal facilitation, criminal solicitation and money laundering. She was later placed under house arrest on compassionate medical grounds while the criminal proceedings continued.

Howard-Taylor and the other defendants remain presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

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