The Inquirer (Monrovia)
14 March 2008
The family of former President Charles Taylor says, contrary to claims by the UN Special War Crime Court that Mr. Taylor has an asset of about a billion United States Dollars, the former president does not have a dime anywhere.
The family says it challenges the court and its Chief Prosecutor, Stephen Ralph to show evidence and locate the said asset in question to substantiate the court's claim.
Addressing journalists Tuesday in Monrovia in reaction to the claim of the court, Mr. Sando Johnson, a spokesman of the family said, for the last ten years since the United Nations claimed that Mr. Taylor has such an asset, it is yet to prove its claims and locate the where that value of property and fund are.
He said the family welcomes the exposure of where the money is and would be willing for the amount in question to be returned to Liberia, should the court justify its allegation by showing the necessary evidence and producing the amount.
Mr. Johnson described the UN claim of Mr. Taylor possessing such an amount as a cheap propaganda only intended to defame the former president.
According to him, the special court chief prosecutor's stance on the former president's assets is characterized with inconsistency; stressing that such an information coming from the court's prosecutor should be credible.
Mr. Johnson, a lawmaker in the former Taylor government added that as far as he is concerned Mr. Taylor is broke because as he put it, if Mr. Taylor had money still in his possession, he would not have allowed those prosecuting him, to be the very ones to hire his lawyers and plead on his behalf.
"Mr. Taylor is poor and does not have a dime anywhere," Mr. Johnson asserted. Meanwhile, Mr. Johnson has reacted to a recent newspaper publication regarding the filing of tax return of some former officials of government most of whom worked in the Taylor government.
Mr. Johnson described the issue as a witch hunt scheme on the part of the country's TRC; emphasizing that such a move on the part of the commission indicates that it is partial and is gradually running into trouble.
He added that it would be a balanced process should the commission request such tax returns from the three branches of government.
According to him, seeking information and talking with the three branches would be the first step to the commission's quest for information before seeking further information from individuals.
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