Concord Times (Freetown)
Olusegun Ogundeji
21 August 2008
After being delayed for the past two days since the Special Court for Sierra Leone resumed from its annual judicial recess in The Hague, former Liberian president, Charles Taylor appeared in court yesterday.
Dressed in white gown with a cap to match, Taylor's presence in court signaled the commencement of the trial proper.
On Monday, Taylor's lead defense counsel Courtenay Griffiths informed the Court sitting before presiding judge Doherty that Taylor had last Friday expressed his concerns about a raised level of security during his transportation to court.
According to charlestaylortrials.org, Taylor objected to 'being chained around his waist, leading him to feel like a leashed animal, which he finds particularly degrading' and certain measures which he says cause sensory deprivation for him.
Taylor chose not go to court as long as these two measures are in place even though Lead Prosecutor, Brenda Hollis' argued that Taylor waived his right to go to court so the proceedings should not be held hostage to his will.
Following day, Taylor was not in court as he still expressed concerns over the two extra security measures. Griffiths said since the Dutch authority is not ready lift these measures and Taylor is anxious for the court proceedings to discontinue, he decided to submit himself to these extra security measures and will be in court the next day.
Afterwards, Presiding Judge Doherty informed the court that the trial chamber is not satisfied with the reasons why Mr. Taylor is submitted to this kind of security measures and thinks this will lead to a serious disruption of the trial so it directed the Registrar to find a speedy resolution and report back to the court.
Since last week the level of security has been raised to the maximum level. This applies not only to the accused in this trial, but also to one ICC detainee and to one ICTY detainee. It is not due to any misconduct of Charles Taylor.
Yesterday's entire court session was devoted to testimony by one witness identified as TF1-367 for security reasons. He was an RUF with close links to the men in command. He gave the first part of his testimony in closed session.
In open session, the witness recalled an attack on the city of Kakata in Liberia in 1990, executed by Charles Taylor's NPFL rebels; how he changed his name and joined the rebels; how he was introduced to Foday Sankoh to fight with him in Sierra Leone; and how some of his co-trainees such as Sam Bockarie, Mike Lamin and Issa Sesay became high commanders in the RUF. The witness also answered different questions about his assignments in different towns in Sierra Leone.
The prosecution encountered strong resistance from defence counsel and the court upon their request to have the witness identify signatures on documents. On two occasions, the court denied the documents to be shown to the witness, ruling that insufficient foundation in relation to those documents had been established even though the prosecution made attempts to do so. However, a third document, already submitted as evidence, was shown to the witness at the end of the session and he identified the signature as that of Djaba.
The prosecution moved to show the witness a document, but the defence objected and asked for the correct procedure to be followed. The court allowed the objection, asking the prosecution for more foundation in respect of the document to be presented.
The prosecution proceeded to ask the witness questions in relation to the document, such as what a "tin" of AK runs means and the witness explained that there were two tins in a box, and what a G3 is which the witness said is one of the heavy weapons they used (stronger than an AK).
The prosecution then requested the document to be shown to the witness but the defence and the court still requested more foundation. To address this objection, the prosecution asked the witness if records of ammunitions were kept. The witness stated that an adjutant would keep records of ammunitions. The court ruled that no proper foundation was laid for the document and that it could not be shown to the witness.
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Readers should watch out; in the coming months lunatic, murderer, bloodsucker Mugabe will also be the target of Zimbabwe Exiles Forum to be brought to the ICC for trial for crimes against humanity. Whilst Taylor committed his crimes during civil wars, bloodstained Mugabe committed his crimes during a peaceful time, which makes the crimes more premeditated - which calls for tougher penalties.
Activists in Africa should get united to pursue all dictators everywhere on the African soil.
Only the the spineless,brainless,lowminded people will be proud to be advocates of the sadist BLOOD MONGER CHARLES TAYLOR's butchery,cannibalism and inhumanity to his human kind for which he is on trial at the Hague, as something or someone in the best LIBERIAN national interest to personalize and to morally support.Taylor is lucky to receive the justice he denied a million times to his defenceless victims in both LIBERIA and SIERRA LEONE.He is extremely lucky to pick and choose "being chained around his waist"and talking about "degrading" treatment, damn it!As far as Taylor is concerned he should be roped around and lynched up on a huge cotton tree (not the cotton tree in freetown because we dont want his evil blood stain on our noble tree)for both LIBERIANS AND SIERRA LEONEANS to take their turns on him.To attempt to compare ex-president Kabba to the CHARLES manson president(CHARLES TAYLOR) shows there are still NPFL rebel functionaries out there in our midst.The people who are now advocates for justice and moderation for NGANGAY TAYLOR,where were they when the rest of LIBERIANS were running away from this man,and others were dying for no just reason simply because the monster Taylor was freaked and blood thirsty.We never heard their summon then.
I WISH TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU THAT THIS SITE IS FOR OPINION BUT NOT ABUSING OTHER FOR THEIR OPINION.WHERE YOU RIGHT ENDS OUR BEGIN FROM THERE.I AM ONE OF THOSE YOU ABUSE. LET US NOT USE THIS MEDIUM FOR PERSONAL FEELINGS.I WISH YOU WILL APOLOGY TO ALL OUR US WHO YOU HAVE ABUSE FOR OUR COMMENTS AND I PRAY THE EDITORS WILL READ AND MAKE HIS COMMENTS.
The former President, Charles Taylor used forces to cut the young future leaders of Sierra Leone arms, and he shouldn't be given too of rights. He is a number one crimer in the history of West Africa. Those that their arms were cut were not given any justice reason, therefore Taylor shouldn't be given any fair justice in the Hague. Every properties he ever owned should be taken away from him and he should die in jail. Let justice be done to poor children and men of Sierra Leone.
Thanks
Saye Gbalah
THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA MR. CHARLAS TAYLOR,WHICH WAS A LEADER OF THIS COUNTRY IS NOT PROVEN GUILTY YET SO LET HIM BE TREATED WITH CAUTION UNTIL HE IS GUILTY.THOSE WHO SPEAK AND ASKED FOR FORMER PRESIDENT TO BE TREATED AT THE WISH OF THE COURT OR JAIL SHOULD FIRST CHECK THEMSELVES BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAID " JESUS TOLD THE MEN WHO WERE STONING THE WOMAN THAT IF YOU HAVE NO SIN BE THE FIRST TO THROW A STONE." MY QUESTION IS DID ANYONE THROW A STONE? WELL IF YOU DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER I WILL TELL YOU. IT IS NO.I AM NOT BACKING HIM IF HE DID IT OR NOT BUT WE AS LIBERIAN SHOULD KNOW THAT MR.TAYLOR IS PART OF OUR HISTROY AND WILL FOREVER BE.IF WE AS LIBERIAN MAKE HIM GUILTY BEFORE THE TRAIL ENDS THEN WHAT WILL OTHER COUNTRIES DO. LET LOOK AT IRAG AND PRACTICE LOVE LIKE THEM. WITH ALL THE EVIL THEIR PRESEIDENT DID TO THEM, THEY ARE STILL REVENGING FOR HIM ON THE AMERICAN.
You have no justifiable proof that Charles Taylor's forces were involved in cutting the hands of Sierra Leoneans. Taylor's fighters raped, looted and killed innocent civillians, but cutting people's hand was not their trademark. This is why he will not be found guilty in the Hague base on what is obtaining from the so call witnesses at the court. Sierra Leoneans are wicked towards one another, they cut off their own people's hands and legs. How many Liberians do you see their hands or legs cut in Liberia?
Saye, Do you know that the former president, Pres. Kaba is walking FREELY in Sierra Leone and he he too committed the VERY same crime Mr. Taylor is said to have committed???
Why isn't him in jail??
Noko4
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Dear Mr. Editor, It is indeed wonderful to see justice in play but most times justice is indeed hidden when it comes to some personalities. In this light,there are many who are even worse than Chalse Taylor why are they not persecuted? I hope president R.MUGABE should also be called to subscribe for his own leadership. There are several others let us dont be macavellian in our attribution of justice. Thanks, Paul Turay