11 November 2009
Lagos — Former Liberian President Charles Taylor has said he was deceived by Nigeria into being arrested there in 2006.
Speaking at his war crimes trial in The Hague, he said former President Olusegun Obasanjo had reneged on a promise to let him leave the country freely.
Yesterday, he said he hoped he would live to look Obasanjo in the face one day and ask him to tell the truth about what happened. He also claimed a plot involving the UK and the US led to his indictment. Taylor is accused of backing rebels, who committed widespread atrocities throughout the 1990s in Liberia's neighbour Sierra Leone.
He was living in exile in Nigeria in 2006 when US pressure to put him on trial for alleged war crimes increased. Taylor now says Obasanjo - who is currently a United Nations peace envoy - told him lies that caused him to be arrested. The former Liberian leader told the Special Court for Sierra Leone yesteray that Obasanjo had earlier assured him he could leave the country freely.
"He lied to the world when he said I was escaping, and he knew nothing about it," he said. "Why he lied? I don't know, but as a brother and a friend, I think he ought to speak and tell the truth about it."
After Obasanjo said Liberia's new government was free to take Taylor into custody, the former Liberian leader suddenly disappeared while Obasanjo was on his way to Washington to meet his US counterpart, George W Bush.
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All of what Taylor is saying about his decision to go to Nigeria just on August 11 2003 amount to mere blasphemy.
At least those displaced Liberians and foreign nationals who occupied the Graystone Compound,the UNOMIL building,the Wellington Appartment and the Haider Buildings at the Mamba Point can attest that Taylor,his defense minister,Daniel Chea and all of his political stalwarts were completely demoralised by Damate and his advancing LURD forces.There was a time between July and August 2003 especially,when Daniel Chea could not use the Broard Street to come down to Sinkor from the Ducal Hotel at the end of Broad Street.Instead,Chea would use the UN Drive,gets through the Mamba Point Diplomatic enclave,then dribble through the Mamba Point Hotel,the Ambassador Hotel and the old internal affairs building to get to the BTC before getting to Sinkor either by way of the Jallah town intersection or just driving between the executive mansion and the capitol. It was then that Taylor was made to realise that he and his cohorts combined could not repel the troubles of Damate Corneh.Such a moment must have been one that coerced Taylor to leave Liberia for sanctuary elsewhere in Nigeria,thinking that Obasanjo had an artificial heaven to hide him(Taylor).
If Taylor had earlier told leaders at the June 4 2003 meeting in Ghana that he would resign,he had only done so thinking that said vague promise would ease the pressure on him,hence allow him plan further mayhem. Why did Taylor promise to "fight from street to street and from house to house" at the height of battle for control of Monrovia shortly before his departure in 2003?Was it because he wanted to fulfil promise he earlier made at the June 4 peace talks in Ghana?May be he was hopeful of getting more arms and amunition from some sources.
Taylor has indeed been duped.His admirers must know that this "papay"is not any longer as omniscient as earlier concieved.
Where in this acticle that says Taylor Admits Aiding Rebels? This is how you people post lies. Most of you will commit suicide at the end of the trial.
borri, I ask that you read the November 4th,2009 article on this site,with the caption, "Taylor Admits Aiding Rebels". Taylor's tesimony of admitting to the crime,was due to the truth that his Former V.P. Moses Blah revealed to the Special Court for Sierra Leone in the Hague.
Borri, I'm glad you're back on this site. I missed your posts for a long time. I thought you were dead and gone because in Liberia,you're still hunting and killing your own brothers who oppose your crimes and deeds. Take care!
Borri,
Keep up the good work. As we say in Liberia all those people who thought Charles Taylor committed crimes in Sierra Leone " will be made shame". Can you imagine after years of preparation and millions of dollars spent. The first week of Mr. Taylor's cross examination had to be cancelled because Ms. Hollis was not ready to proceed. " I say Ghankay"
Aki, you're praising a blind man who moves with the support of some one else.Take his stick from him and see where he leads to. If you don't know that is the game of Law (Listen, Accept Wrong).
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