Tells court of alleged US$250M offer, drug transit plan and claim of Weah assassination
Wilson further claimed that Howard-Taylor allegedly told the group that, if they won the 2023 election, “we will run the country for only three years,” after which, he alleged, they would assassinate former President Weah.
Source: DAILY OBSERVER Newspaper
- By David A. Yates
- Updated
Former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor has been drawn into a series of explosive allegations involving an alleged international drug network, a proposed multimillion-dollar political deal and an alleged plot to assassinate former President George Weah, as the first State witness testified in preliminary court proceedings.
Raphael Wilson, appearing as the first State witness, told the court that a group he described as a drug cartel had sought to establish Liberia as a transit point for narcotics and allegedly turned to senior Liberian political figures for protection and access.
According to Wilson, the group was headed by a man identified as “Nicholas,” who reportedly met Liberian businessman Bashiru Kante in Dubai in 2021.
Wilson testified that the group told Kante they had previously come to Liberia “to do business” but had been deceived. He said the men did not initially reveal what kind of business they intended to conduct, but later made clear that they needed high-ranking government officials to provide security and protection for their operations.
Wilson said Kante subsequently connected the group to Howard-Taylor.
The witness told the court that Howard-Taylor later traveled from Monrovia through Accra to Dubai with a five-member delegation. Among those present were her sister, Noah Howard, and Bernice Taylor, although Wilson said the two women were not involved in the discussions surrounding the alleged deal.
According to the witness, a meeting was subsequently held involving Howard-Taylor, Kante, Nicholas, Tony and Michael, during which the group allegedly disclosed that it wanted to use Liberia as a transit route for illegal drugs.
Wilson further told the court that he possesses video footage allegedly showing Nicole, Nicholas, Tony, Michael, Howard-Taylor and Kante together on his yacht in Dubai.
The testimony took an even more dramatic turn when Wilson recounted an alleged conversation about Liberia’s 2023 presidential election.
He claimed that Nicholas asked Howard-Taylor whether she intended to contest the presidency.
Wilson said Howard-Taylor did not directly answer the question but instead requested US$100 million.
The witness alleged that the group subsequently offered US$250 million to support her political campaign.
Wilson further claimed that Howard-Taylor allegedly told the group that, if they won the 2023 election, “we will run the country for only three years,” after which, he alleged, they would assassinate former President Weah.
The allegation, if proven, would represent an extraordinary claim involving the country’s highest political office. However, Wilson’s account remains testimony by a State witness and has not, on its own, established the truth of the allegations.
Wilson also told the court that there is an audio recording of the alleged conversation. He claimed that the recording could have been played during the proceedings, but Howard-Taylor’s lawyers objected to having it played in court.
The witness further testified that investigators obtained access to his phone after he turned it over to them.
According to Wilson, investigators examined his conversations, text messages, WhatsApp exchanges and photographs involving Howard-Taylor and extracted information from the device.
His testimony places alleged drug trafficking, political financing and a purported assassination plan at the centre of the preliminary proceedings, potentially setting the stage for a contentious legal battle over the authenticity and interpretation of the evidence.
The defense is expected to challenge the witness’s credibility, the circumstances surrounding the alleged recordings and digital evidence, and the interpretation of the communications presented to investigators.
For now, the allegations remain contested. The court will ultimately have to determine the admissibility, credibility and weight of the evidence before any conclusion can be reached about the claims made against Howard-Taylor.