By: Benjamin Q Z Johnson
MONROVIA, October 8, 2026: Six of the 19 defendants indicted alongside former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor in a major drug trafficking and money laundering case have been arrested, brought before Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice, and subsequently transferred to the Monrovia Central Prison pending further judicial proceedings.
Among those arrested are Gerald Foley Smith, former Deputy Director for Administration of the National Security Agency (NSA); Jammel V. Jallah; Christian L. Nyantee; Cayce L. Nelson; Albenigo Janior; and Sekou.
Mark Quiah, former Deputy Director for Operations of the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA), was reportedly arrested late Wednesday night, October 7, and taken to the Monrovia Central Prison, bringing the total number of reported arrests to six.
The arrests followed a writ of arrest issued by Criminal Court “C” on October 7, 2026, directing Montserrado County Sheriff Major Austine Seinavula, or his deputy, to arrest the defendants named in the indictment and bring them before the court to answer to the allegations against them.
The defendants have not yet been arraigned on the charges.
They were brought before the court pursuant to the writ of arrest and were subsequently taken to the Monrovia Central Prison, where they are expected to remain pending further proceedings and any applicable decisions on their legal status.
The latest development marks a significant step in the prosecution of a case involving former senior government officials and other individuals accused of participating in an alleged drug trafficking and money laundering network.
The indictment contains numerous criminal allegations, including unlicensed possession, importation and exportation of controlled drugs or substances; unlicensed sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution, dispatch in transit and transportation of controlled substances; illicit trafficking; criminal conspiracy; criminal facilitation; criminal solicitation; money laundering; possession and sale of physical objects for lethal use; and possession of physical objects for lethal use.
The charges represent some of the most serious allegations currently before the Liberian courts and have placed several former government officials under heightened public and judicial scrutiny.
The writ of arrest, signed by J. Amos F. Gbowah, Clerk of Criminal Court “C,” commands the Montserrado County Sheriff to arrest the named defendants and “forthwith” bring them before the court to answer to the charges contained in the indictment.
According to the writ, the arrests stem from an indictment returned by the Montserrado County Grand Jury, which was duly selected, empaneled and sworn to investigate the alleged offenses.
The court also instructed the sheriff to make an official return indicating how each writ was served.
The involvement of former senior officials from Liberia’s security and aviation sectors has added prominence to the case.
Gerald Foley Smith previously served as Deputy Director for Administration at the National Security Agency, while Mark Quiah served as Deputy Director for Operations at the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority.
Their arrests come as law enforcement authorities move to enforce the court’s orders against individuals named in the indictment.
Former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor is also named among the defendants, placing a former senior government official at the center of a prosecution involving allegations of drug-related offenses, illicit trafficking and money laundering.
The case has attracted considerable public attention because of the identities of some of the accused and the gravity of the allegations contained in the indictment.
However, the allegations contained in the indictment have not been proven in court.
All of the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
They are also entitled to due process, legal representation and a fair trial in accordance with the Liberian Constitution and applicable laws.
The latest arrests are expected to be followed by additional court proceedings, including the defendants’ arraignment and other preliminary legal processes, as Criminal Court “C” moves forward with the case.
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