Charges Against Ex-Wife Of Liberia’s Charles Taylor Dismissed

Torture charges against the ex-wife of former Liberian president Charles Taylor have been dismissed at the Old Bailey.

Agnes Reeves-Taylor, 54, was charged in 2017 over a string of offences – some involving children – during the West African country’s civil war.

The university lecturer, from Dagenham in east London, denied wrongdoing and was due to stand trial in January.

But after a technical appeal, judge Mr Justice Sweeney dismissed all charges.

Ms Reeves-Taylor was due to face a trial for torture and conspiracy to torture relating to events alleged to have taken place in 1990, during Liberia’s bloody civil war.

Up to 250,000 people are believed to have been killed during civil conflict between 1989 and 2003.

Ms Reeves-Taylor’s ex-husband was Liberia’s president from 1997 until 2003 and is currently serving a life sentence for war crimes in Sierra Leone.

However, Mr Justice Sweeney ruled that the case against Taylor’s former wife could no longer continue.