No evidence of attack – Liberia news The New Dawn Liberia, premier resource for latest news

The EPS says it has almost half a dozen well-trained agents and two police officers assigned to protect former VP Howard-Taylor, and it does not take lightly the security of its protectees.

Monrovia, May 30, 2024:The elite Executive Protection Service (EPS) says its preliminary investigation did not find evidence of an attack against Liberia’s former Vice President Madam Jewel Howard-Taylor, contrary to media reports.

The EPS released its report on Wednesday, 29 May 2024, regarding an incident in which one of Madam Howard-Taylor’s two-vehicle convoys sustained minor damage to its back windshields on Duport Road following a sound on the convoy.

From the investigation so far, the EPS noted that there is a strong possibility that gravel from under the tire of another moving vehicle in the opposite lane may have hit the rear windshield of former VP Howard Taylor’s vehicle.

While releasing the report from the preliminary investigation, the EPS stated that it was still investigating the allegation of attack on the former Vice President.

But the EPS said it has gathered “no evidence so far to prove that the former VP was attacked by an unknown assailant in the Duport Road area as reported.”

“Preliminary investigation conducted by the EPS was unable to substantiate the claim of the targeted attack as was reported in the media,” the agency reported Wednesday.

The investigation further revealed that former Vice President Howard-Taylor was riding in a two-vehicle convoy when a sound came from one of the vehicles’ back windshields, causing minor damage.

But the EPS said there was no showing that a vehicle crashed into the former VP’s convoy as is being insinuated in the media.

“The area of the alleged incident was immediately searched, and pedestrians and others in the neighborhood were interviewed,” the release said.

According to the EPS, no one testified to seeing anyone throwing projectiles at the former VP’s vehicle.

It indicated that the incident is still being investigated.

“However, this hypothesis is inconclusive, but there is no evidence that the former Vice President was being attacked as reported.”

The Executive Protection Service explained that providing protection services to the President, Vice President, their family members, and other very important persons is mandated.

The EPS said it is interested in establishing the facts and circumstances regarding threats-related incidents and will not be drawn into political spin and unfounded allegations of targeted attacks to draw public attention and sympathy.

“The EPS is currently providing services to the Former Vice President with almost half a dozen well-trained agents and two police officers and does not take lightly the security of its protectees,” the statement said.