allAfrica.com: Liberia: Defense Questions Reliability of Witness' Memory and Circumstances of Interviews With the OTP (Page 1 of 7)

Liberia: Defense Questions Reliability of Witness' Memory and Circumstances of Interviews With the OTP

The monitors of former President Charles Taylor's trial report for www.charlestaylortrial.org

Defense questions reliability of witness' memory and circumstances of interviews with the OTP

Cross examination of Mansaray resumed after lunch at 2pm. Charles Taylor sat behind the two lead defense attorneys, watching the testimony and taking notes. He wore glasses, a striped two-tone blue tie, a grey suit and a white shirt.

Terry Munyard continued. He started by going through forced mining and the punishment meted out for those who refused.

Def: Noting in first interview about forced mining. You talk about where the mining was carried out and who the diamonds were given to. In your second interview in March 2004 you talk about people being forced to mine. You spoke about people being forced to mine, that the mine was fortified by armed men, people who refused to take part in forced mining were executed. You said you heard about this information - that Pelato killed people. You were asked about specific people. You said yes but can't remember names. You say Pelato would torture and punish them - you got reports of this happening if people tried to steal diamonds or refused to work. In third interview, you said Patrick Bangura was appointed by Bockarie to command there. Patrick told you that civilians not paid for the work. In the fourth interview, in para 13, asked to clarify comments about forced mining and the fate of those who refused to work or tried to escape. You said you saw people being forced to mine but never saw anyone being killed. Heard about people being killed and mutilated in sites. You later went back to that passage and corrected the spelling of one name. So I will also look at other interviews, in 15 October 2007, in which you talk about forced mining. You are in a prepping interview, and it says witness was asked about involvement in diamond mining in Kono between 1998 and 2000. But you were still in the IDU at that time?

Wit: Yes.

Def: You were appointed to work with Pelato after peacekeepers were released in 2000. You were appointed as mining commander in Ngaiya. The notes of the interviewer says that the witness confirmed everything in his previous. Presumably that means previous statements. We know that you mentioned Kono in that paragraph 13 of the interview on the 3rd May 2006, when you said you had never seen anyone executed. You then provide further information about mining activities in Kono in 2000 and clarify that you saw ?? who was working for Sesay beating civilians. You saw Pelato you saw him place in vehicles and taking to mining sites in Kuido. I will read you what you said in 2007 interview. When asked about your personal mistreatment of civilians — sometimes his men will beat civilians if people refuse to come and work. Sometimes you will stop the beating, and sometimes not. You never personally participated in beatings, but felt bad about how your personnel treated civilians.

What did you mean that you had to recruit civilians and mining tools when the govt mining day comes?

Wit: Here you mention 2000 but this was not the year I spoke about that mining. What I meant was when we were prepared to undertake the mining, the shaker and the shovel that the civilians used to do the mining, we tasked them to bring those along to clean the gravel.

(Sebutinde shook her head at difference between tax and task on the record).

Def: can you use another word beside task or tax?

Wit: We forced them to do the work.

Def: Clear from this statement that if the investigators correctly recorded what you said. then you started your mining commanders job in June 2000, and not Jan 2001 which you told this court. Did you start in June 2000 as prosecution recorded in October 2007 or in Jan 2001.

Wit: It was 14 January 2001 when I was appointed as mining commander.

Def: So who's got it wrong — you or the prosecutors?

Wit: I cannot recall, but the actual date I called is the corrected one. 14 January 2001 is the correct date that I started my job as mining commander.

Def: Now, on 24, 25 and 28 January 2008, you were seen by members of the prosecution team and in the course of those interviews, this is recorded: With reference to para 13 of statement 3 May 2006, — that is the first document that I read from when I began these questions where you say you never saw anyone executed — witness knew about the killings and amputations in Kono when you were based in Shegwema and were called by Gbao to meet him. Witness visited Shegwena IDU office. There he was told that some civilians had been killed at other sites because they had been refused to mine for RUF. Also civilians had limbs amputated in Kono when civilians refused to mine. In that same interview, between 2000 and 2001, witness was assigned as mining commander in Kono. There are notes taken by people who interviewed you as recently as six weeks ago. On 24, 25 and 28 January 2008 and they have recorded something very similar to what I read out from previous record dated October 2007 - namely that you were appointed mining commander in 2000 or thereabouts. Are you saying that this batch of prosecution staff also inaccurately recorded the time that you told them that you were appointed mining commander?

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