Former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor has been arrested as part of an investigation into the seizure of cocaine valued at nearly half a billion dollars, intensifying political tensions in Liberia. Howard-Taylor, a former senator and ex-wife of former President Charles Taylor, was first stopped from leaving the country before being held for several hours at police headquarters.
Authorities accuse her of importing and transporting controlled substances without a licence, along with illicit drug trafficking. Opposition figures, including members of her National Patriotic Party, have challenged the circumstances surrounding the arrest, with some calling it a political witch hunt.
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Former President George Weah said in a statement that the allegations were politically driven by the administration of President Joseph Boakai, whom he accused of trying to “rule as a tyrant”. Weah further alleged that the government was manufacturing links between former officials and the drug investigation while giving accused members of its own administration only a “slap on the wrist”.
