The Monrovia City Court has cleared the way for prosecutors to proceed with an indictment against former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor after her defense team withdrew its request for a preliminary examination.
The decision followed a brief hearing Tuesday during which defense counsel waived the preliminary review and formally withdrew an earlier motion seeking a preliminary investigation.
The preliminary proceedings had already begun, with prosecutors presenting evidence before the defense opted to withdraw its request.
The prosecution did not object, but asked the court to send the matter to the appropriate jurisdiction so it could proceed with the filing of a formal indictment.
State lawyers told the court they had established sufficient probable cause to move the case forward.
Ruling on the matter, the presiding judge cited Section 12 of Liberia’s Criminal Procedure Law, which provides for a preliminary examination at the request of a defendant.
The judge said that because the defense had voluntarily withdrawn its request, the court was required to accept the decision and could not compel the defense to continue with the preliminary proceedings.
The court therefore instructed its clerk to send the case to the appropriate court for further action.
The ruling allows prosecutors to proceed with the formal indictment process in the jurisdiction with authority over the matter.
Taylor’s case now moves into its next legal phase, with further proceedings expected after the prosecution files the indictment.
