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Liberia: RUF Insider Questioned About Executions at Mines, Forced Mining, the Invasion of Freetown and Prior Statements to Investigators
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GUEST BLOG
7 March 2008
Posted to the web 7 March 2008
The monitors of former President Charles Taylor's trial report for www.charlestaylortrial.org
Cross examination of Mansaray continued from noon.
Terry Munyard continued - following is an overview of the exchange in the courtroom, but not a full transcript.
Def: You said this morning that you were in Shegwema on the day of the attack on Freetown. You said that you found out about it through the BBC or radio communications. What are you telling the court about your own radio comms?
Wit: fighters were trained to be radio operators, and they communicated among themselves. They would discuss matters between themselves and then explain it to us.
Def: Did you hear about the invasion of Freetown as it was happening or later?
Wit: When the RUF and AFRC started fighting, so the comms was going on from those at the rear. They communicated.
Def: Why didn’t you tell the investigators this when they asked you qns about the invasion in Nov 2003 March 2004 and Jan 2006?
Wit: Maybe I was not asked a question about that so I did not explain that to them.
Def: In March 2004, you were asked about the January 6 invasion of Freetown — you didn’t have much knowledge on that one.
Wit: That is true - I was not with them but I had knowledge through comms. I was not there when they were planning it but I got info that Freetown was invaded. I told them that I heard about the attack but I was not there I hope that was enough.
Def: Here is what they say in Jan 2006 in a proofing. Unfortunately we are not told who the investigators were in Jan 2006 but this is what they recorded you as saying. He wanted to put it in the right time-frame.
This is what is recorded: In Feb 12998 received from Rogers an order to retreat to Daru and I stayed there for 2-3 months, Around May 1998 we moved to Kuiva and stayed about 5 months. We successfully attacked Shegwema and took ammunition from ECOMOG. I did not fight. After the attack I stayed a few months in Shegwema.
Before I go on to next sentence, I am going to take through that sequence to work out the time period.
In February 1998 receive an order to go to Daru for 2-3 months. Do you agree?
Wit: I would not agree with that. It is not everything I would agree to. It is the month you say that goes with the year.
Def: The very next words from you - around May 1998 we moved from Kuiva. So it’s correct you remained in Daru until about May?
Wit: I don’t think it is correct.
Def: This is what we are told by prosecuting investigators. Are you saying they have go this wrong?
Wit: It is possible, but the dates you have mentioned I don’t think that was the way it happened.
Def: We’ll move on. Around May 1998 we moved to Kuiva for about 5 months. That takes you about October.
Wit: The month that you called I would agree to. But to say the month you called that Gbao was the commander I would disagree with that.
Def: This was something you were supposed to have said. This is not something I am putting to you.
Wit: I am getting you clearly. But I want you to read it to me again.
Def: We will start from May. (He read the proofing again). Pausing at ECOMOG - is it correct that you took Shegwema under Gaddafi and seized arms from ECOMOG?
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Wit: You are always referring to Manawa as being a commander to Augustine Gbao, but from the start of my statements I have never mentioned that.
Def: So the investigators got the record wrong?
Wit: I don’t know if they give you the report - but what I have been telling them, they always write it and then read it to me. Manawa was a fighter, and Gbao was an administrator.
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