MONROVIA – The death of Toni “Zulu Queen” Jackson on Friday, March 13, 2026, has triggered disturbing allegations against her husband, Samuel Jackson, after a longtime friend publicly claimed he personally witnessed repeated incidents of physical abuse during the couple’s marriage.
In a statement titled “A Moral Obligation to Speak the Truth: Justice for Toni ‘The Zulu Queen’ Jackson,” Rufus S. Berry II said his conscience compelled him to speak out following the tragedy, recounting encounters in which he says he saw visible injuries on Toni that she attributed to beatings by Jackson.
Berry explained that he and Jackson shared a friendship that stretched back more than three decades, rooted in intellectual debate and a shared commitment to Liberia’s future. Their relationship began through the Coalition of Concerned Liberians (CCL), an exclusive online forum where some of Liberia’s most accomplished professionals engaged in discussions about national issues during and after the country’s civil war.
“For more than three decades, Samuel Jackson and I shared a friendship rooted in intellectual engagement, patriotic passion, and a deep love for Liberia,” Berry wrote, describing how the CCL forum brought together doctors, lawyers, economists, engineers, journalists, academics, and political thinkers committed to shaping Liberia’s direction.
According to Berry, he and Jackson frequently found themselves on opposite sides of heated debates about Liberia’s political, economic, and social trajectory. Yet despite their differences, the two maintained what he described as a bond built on respect and intellectual honesty.
“Samuel and I were active members of that respected forum,” Berry noted. “Over the years we often found ourselves debating fiercely, but our differences never weakened our friendship.”
Their relationship continued even when both men lived abroad. Berry recalled that while he was working as a financial analyst in Silicon Valley and serving as President of the Liberian Community in Northern California, he and Jackson often discussed politics, finance, and Liberia’s future.
Eventually both men relocated to Liberia, where they continued their exchanges while remaining outspoken voices during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Berry said it was during those years that Jackson excitedly told him about meeting a South African woman from a prominent and wealthy family. Jackson affectionately called her his “Zulu Queen.” Her name was Toni.
“One day Samuel called me excitedly to share that he had met an extraordinarily beautiful and highly educated South African woman,” Berry wrote. “With great pride and affection, he introduced her to me as his ‘Zulu Queen.’ Her name was Toni.”
Berry said the couple became socially close with him, often sharing meals in Monrovia and maintaining a lively friendship. He described evenings spent together in conversation and hospitality, recalling that Toni eventually became like family to him.
However, Berry said his perception of their relationship changed dramatically during a flight from Accra to Liberia when Toni approached him wearing dark sunglasses and quietly took a seat beside him.
“When she removed the glasses, what I saw shocked me beyond imagination,” Berry wrote. “Her eyes were severely bruised, dark, swollen, and unmistakably the result of violent beating.”
According to Berry, Toni then told him directly: “Rufus, you see what your brother did to me.”
Berry said he immediately confronted Jackson after returning to their seats on the aircraft, expressing outrage at what he believed had happened. “I told him he should be ashamed of himself,” Berry recalled. “Real men do not beat women, and I have absolutely no respect for men who abuse women.”
Months later, Berry said he encountered another troubling incident while meeting the couple for breakfast in Monrovia.
“Once again she removed the glasses,” Berry wrote. “Her eyes were swollen and bruised. She rolled up her sleeves and revealed bruises on her shoulders and across parts of her back.”
Berry said Toni again accused Jackson of beating her. When confronted, Berry claimed Jackson responded by saying she had been “acting frisky,” and that he had to “teach her a lesson.”
“I told him plainly that he had serious mental problems and desperately needed help,” Berry wrote, adding that he warned Jackson that such violence could one day end in tragedy.
That warning now weighs heavily on Berry following the shocking announcement of Toni’s death.
Berry said he first learned of the incident early Friday morning through a phone call from a friend who told him Jackson had posted on Facebook that his wife had died.
When he called Jackson seeking clarification, Berry said Jackson told him simply: “Rufus, your girl fell at home and died at JFK.”
But Berry said the disturbing memories of the alleged abuse he witnessed made it impossible for him to remain silent.
“Under the law, Samuel Jackson is innocent until proven guilty,” Berry acknowledged. “However, it is equally true that a man with a demonstrated pattern of brutal violence toward his wife is capable of causing fatal harm.”
Driven by what he described as a moral obligation, Berry said he contacted Gregory Coleman, Inspector General of the Liberia National Police, informing him about the two incidents of severe abuse he claims to have personally witnessed.
“I realized that silence would make me complicit,” Berry wrote. “Integrity means doing the right thing and telling the truth, even when it is uncomfortable.”
Berry concluded by calling for a thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Toni Jackson’s death.
“This matter must be thoroughly investigated,” he wrote. “If it is determined that Samuel Jackson caused the death of his wife, he must face the full weight of the law.”
For Berry, the tragedy ultimately demands justice for the woman he remembers warmly as Toni, the “Zulu Queen.”
“Toni Jackson deserves justice,” he said. “May we pray for the peaceful repose of her soul. Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her.”
