allAfrica.com: Liberia: Former AFRC Member Describes AFRC-RUF Structures, Cooperation, Crimes, And A Link to Charles Taylor (Page 1 of 2)

Liberia: Former AFRC Member Describes AFRC-RUF Structures, Cooperation, Crimes, And A Link to Charles Taylor

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

Former AFRC Member Describes AFRC-RUF Structures, Cooperation, Crimes, And A Link to Charles Taylor

In the first full day of direct examination by Prosecutor Shyamala Alagendra, witness Alimamy Bobson Sesay testified that he had been an officer with the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) after it seized power in Sierra Leone in May 1997. He described his various positions in the AFRC and movements before his arrest in 2000. Much of his testimony today covered how the AFRC was organized, its relationship with the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), and identification of key individuals in the AFRC and RUF. The witness also provided testimony about elements of the crime base covered in Charles Taylor's indictment. However, today he offered only one anecdote linking Taylor to support for the AFRC/RUF, which he testified had been responsible for these crimes.

Background on the witness

Sesay continued his account from yesterday by reviewing his various ranks and positions in the Sierra Leone Army from the time of the May 1997 military coup. He said he had been an Orderly Corporal at State House, which is the president's residence in Freetown, immediately following the coup. About a month later, he was assigned as a Military Transport Officer and security guard for one of the 17 coup leaders, or members of the AFRC Supreme Council: Hassan Papa Bangura, alias "Bomb Blast". Sesay held the position of Military Transport Officer until June or July 1998.

Sesay testified that in September 1997, he had been promoted to Sergeant. He said that he remained in Freetown until the ECOMOG intervention in February 1998 that drove the AFRC/RUF forces from the capital. Bangura made him a Regimental Sergeant Major after the intervention. He described a series of movements from Freetown, through the towns including Kabala, Lunsar, Masiaka and Makeni, eventually leading to his arrival as part of an AFRC/RUF invading force in Koidu Town, Kono district. The witness said that AFRC and RUF leaders wanted to make Kono into a new headquarters because of the diamond wealth there.

Tamba Alex Brima, alias "Gullit", promoted Sesay to Second Leftenant. Following a "problem", Saj Musa subsequently demoted him to Sergeant, but made him an acting Captain in reward for his bravery after the capture of Masiaka. From July 1998, he was assigned as the personal security guard to Hassan Papa Bangura and also fought as a battlefront commander. Sesay said that after Saj Musa died, Gullit promoted him to Leftenant in December 1998. He served as an intelligence officer and battlefront commander for one battalion before being assigned as battlefront commander of another. Gullit promoted the witness to Captain on the day of the successful Freetown invasion, January 6, 1999. The witness said he participated in the Freetown invasion, and had been a combat officer in most of the battles there. After the AFRC/RUF forces were driven from Freetown at the end of January, Ibrahim "Bazzy" Kamara promoted Sesay to Major, and made him an aide-de-camp (ADC) to Hassan Papa Bangura. From this time, the witness said the group headed by Kamara, with Bangura as second-in-command, was referred to as the "West Side". (Other witnesses have referred to the "West Side Boys".) The witness said he remained a Major and ADC to Bangura until they both were arrested on June 6, 2000.

The junta period

After reviewing Sesay's ranks and movements throughout his time with the AFRC, Prosecutor Alagendra returned to May 1997, the time of the AFRC coup. The witness recalled hearing a series of announcements over the radio: that officers were to report to barracks, that the military had taken over, and that a dusk-to-dawn curfew had been imposed. Soon after, he heard RUF leader Foday Sankoh on BBC radio saying that the RUF should join the AFRC junta and take orders from junta leader Johnny Paul Koroma. Thereafter, the witness heard RUF spokesman Eldred Collins on the radio saying that the RUF had indeed come to Freetown to join the government and take instructions from Koroma. Finally, he heard Koroma himself on the radio announcing the members of his Council.

Sesay listed most of the names of the 17 coup leaders who formed the AFRC's "Supreme Council". He said that the Council soon expanded, and was then just known as the "AFRC Council". The expanded council included top RUF commanders. Foday Sankoh was named vice chairman of the AFRC, but he was detained in Nigeria at the time, so Saj Musa served as acting deputy chairman. Among the members were Santigie Borbor Kanu, Ibrahim "Bazzy" Kamara, and RUF commanders Sam Bockarie ("Mosquito"), Issa Sesay, Morris Kallon, Dennis Mingo ("Superman"), Isaac Mongor (a previous witness), and Mike Lamin. Beyond members of the AFRC Council, the witness described other appointments he remembered Johnny Paul Koroma making to various positions.

Prosecutor Alagendra introduced a number of documents through the witness, which he said were various decrees on appointments that he had seen in 1997, shortly after the coup. He said that because the AFRC Council member to whom he was assigned - Hassan Papa Bangura - was illiterate, Bangura would routinely bring the council documents to him to read and explain following meetings.

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