Monrovia – Jestina Buckle displayed a bruised left eye and slightly swollen face after she was reportedly flogged by the head of security guards at the Red Lion Pub.
Report by Bettie K. Johnson Mbayo, [email protected]
According to her, she was also dragged, leaving the clothes on her body torn.
She stated that her ordeal started after she had been asked to move away from the head of National Security Agency (NSA), Mr. Fumba Sirleaf, who was in the club, too.
According to her she didn’t expect the security guard to assault her the way he did.
“He dragged me from the club on Buchanan Street to my car, which was parked on Ashmun Street.”
“My sister and I went to the club last night (Nov 29). I met Uncle Fumba and he ordered the waitress to offer us two rounds of drinks.”
“I sat beside him lecturing for like two hours and I even got up and dance.”
“The security guy of the club identified as ‘Power’ came and told me that I was disturbing Uncle Fumba.”
“He asked me to leave the table saying that Uncle Fumba had told him that I was disturbing him, so I turned around to Uncle Fumba and I asked, ‘Am I disturbing you;’ he didn’t answer but just stirred at me.”
Ms. Buckle further narrated that she left the drinking table and went to the bathroom but was denied by the pub security guard on trying to return to her table.
According to her, her sister walked over to Mr. Sirleaf and told him about the situation but he didn’t pay any attention.
“He started insulting me and calling me a prostitute. He told me how my father is a handicap and my mother useless.”
“I got angry and returned the insults. He slapped me in my face and fire caught (flash of light) in my eyes,” she explained.
According to her, it was at this point that he grabbed and dragged her from the club to her car, which was parked on Ashmum Street.
“It was an officer on duty at the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), who came and told him that it was wrong to treat a female in such manner,” she stated before he left her naked as her clothes were all torn on her.
Our reporter asked the CBL security, only identified as John, who was still on shift, and he confirmed the manhandling of Ms. Buckle.
“I was on shift. I saw him dragging her; I went over and intervened telling him that it was not right to treat a female that way.”
“He left her and went back to the club,” Security officer John said.
According to him that was his third time that he had had to intervene in such action being carried out by Red Lion security guards.
A waitress at the pub, who declined to give her name, confirmed to FPA that Power works there.
When contacted, the National Security Agency Director, Mr. Fumba Sirleaf, confirmed that he was in the club on the day that the incident allegedly happened.
He also stated that he had met Ms. Buckle.
The NSA head, however, said he doesn’t know of any scuffle that happened between her and the Red Lion security guards, who he said are not his personal body guards and don’t work for him.