Jestina Taylor To Face Arrest?

The Saint Joseph Catholic Hospital compound was yesterday a scene of an unprecedented presence of huge police officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) seen in a Monrovia Central Prison Vehicle attempting to arrest the living body of one Jestina Taylor who is currently receiving treatment at the hospital.A source who spoke on anonymity, told this paper that the attempted arrest of Jestina Taylor was as a result of a hint that Jestina was to appear to the United States Embassy accredited to Liberia for reasons that were undisclosed.
Madam Taylor is the former head of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) Women Wing who made widespread allegations against stalwarts of the CDC particularly Monrovia City Mayor, Jefferson Koigee.
Jestina, a onetime staunch member of the ruling party, alleged in a live interview that she and other stalwarts of the party along with Koigee were sent for arms on the orders of President George Weah while serving as standard bearer of the CDC. Jestina who was emphatic in her claims told journalists that she can produce evidence to substantiate her accusations against stalwarts of the CDC.
Following the revelation, it was reported that Jestina Taylor went missing for several days, but later surfaced in an unfinished building. Justina who was also unconscious when discovered narrated, after regaining consciousness, that she was drugged and ganged- raped by unknown men in an unfinished building along the beach. She was later taken to the Catholic Hospital for medication and has since been there undergoing treatment.
Eyewitnesses on the scene disclosed that the attempted arrest of Jestina Taylor ensued during the morning hours of Wednesday, and that it brought serious fear to residents of the vicinity.
Our reporter who visited the scene upon receiving the information, also observed the presence of about 10 police officers in the yard of the hospital placed in strategic areas. Our reporter witnessed the presence of three officers at the main entrance of the hospital, while three were posted under a big tree in the hospital’s yard, another officer was seen in the hallway of the hospital as well as at the entrance of her private ward among others.
According to him, all efforts exerted to speak to her proved futile, on grounds that she is not allowed to speak to the media or anyone concerning the matter, but said only Human Right Activist, Adama Dempster Brown is said to be the one to speak on her behalf, while family members who were at the hospital, expressed frustration from the presence of the LNP officers, stating “those officers’ presence continue to intimidate our sister.”
When contacted, Adama said that he was not on the scene of the incident but received call from a person that is close to Jestina informing him about the situation, but told them to remain calm. He added that he could not speak on the whole scenario until his engagement with other human rights groups is completed.
According to the human rights activist, it is alarming to see the presence of a huge security officers at the clinic of a peaceful citizen and said such situation violates Jestina’s human right, indicating that she has not been charged by the government of Liberia or been issued an arrest warrant by the court of the country.
“I don’t really know the actual story behind this whole matter. I am now in consultation with the Independent Commission on Human Rights and other human rights groups in the country, which I relent for now until the final conclusion of my engagement,” he averred.
When contacted, the LNP Acting Chief of Media Relations, Anthony K. Nyanlue denied the allegation of LNP officers attempt to arrest Jestina Taylor from her sick bed yesterday morning, and said that officers that were seen at the hospital were there to provide security for her and not to arrest or intimidate her.
According to Anthony, it was a complaint by Jestina Taylor to the LNP about her being drugged and gang-raped by some unknown men and it was the LNP who took her at the hospital treatment.
He further stated that the presence of the LNP at the hospital has been a normal routine since her hospitalization with no sinister motive of such; noting that upon the completion of her treatment, the LNP will investigate her complaint to authenticate what really happened.