London Court Throws Out Torture Case Against Charles Taylor’s Wife

Torture charges against the Agnes Reeves-Taylor, the former wife of deposed Liberian dictator, Charles Taylor, have been thrown out by a London judge because of a lack of evidence.

The university lecturer from East London, 54, was charged by the Metropolitan Police in 2017 pertaining to various alleged offences that occurred during the Liberian Civil War.

Presiding over the case, Mr Justice Sweeney said there was a lack of evidence that Charles Taylor’s regime had governmental control over the areas where his wife’s alleged crimes happened.

The allegations all concerned events in 1990, including the shooting of two small children because they’re mother refused to be raped by one of Taylor’s commanders, and the torture of a 13-year old boy.

Ms Reeves-Taylor denied all allegations against her.

Appearing via video link from Bronzefield Women’s Prison, Ms Reeves-Taylor could be seen smiling as the Mr Justice Sweeney read out the ruling.

Charlie Louden, from Redress, a team of lawyers and advocates who work to combat torture, said the verdict would be disappointing for those making the allegations as they “will be denied the chance to have them tested at trial”.

“In terms of the broader legal consequences, the Supreme Court has made it clear that members of other armed groups that exercise sufficient [governmental] control, such as ISIS and the Taliban, can be prosecuted for torture under UK law”.

Ms Reeves-Taylor has been living in the UK since 1998, but her legal status in the country is now unclear.