CharlesTaylorTrial.org (The Hague)
Alpha Sesay
9 March 2010
A witness defending Charles Taylor today said he never heard of the former Liberian president giving orders to his own rebel forces to kill, rape, loot or burn people's houses, as alleged by prosecutors.
A protected witness, testifying under the pseudonym DCT 125 and with face and voice distortion, said if any crimes were committed under Mr. Taylor's rule, they were isolated incidents which could have taken place without Mr. Taylor's knowledge. The witness maintained this position in a direct question and answer session with Mr. Taylor's defense counsel, Courtenay Griffiths, at the Special Court for Sierra Leone today.
"Were you ever aware of Charles Taylor giving an order to kill?" Mr. Griffiths asked the witness.
"Never," the witness responded.
"To burn people's houses?" Mr. Griffiths went on.
"Never," the witness responded again.
"To rape?" Mr. Griffiths went further.
"Never," again, the witness responded.
"To loot?" Mr. Griffiths asked again.
"Never," the witness said for the fourth time.
The witness added that "maybe if that had happened, it would be an isolated incident without Charles Taylor's knowledge."
The witness explained that he had been a pan-African revolutionary colleague of Mr. Taylor, adding that he personally did not have any specific interest in helping to start a conflict in Liberia. He said that he did not help Mr. Taylor in his invasion of Liberia in 1989, but that together with some other colleagues who were not named in court today, he moved to Liberia to help provide security for the former Liberian president whose NPFL rebel group was split into two when one of Mr. Taylor's former rebel colleagues, Prince Johnson, led his break-away faction from the NPFL at the initial stages of the Liberian conflict.
Asked by Mr. Griffiths why he and his colleagues had decided to join Mr. Taylor in Liberia, the witness explained that "we don't have any interest in Liberia. With notice that his life is threatened and there is a split within his movement, we decided that we should provide him with security to safeguard his life."
DCT 125 has been on the witness stand since last week and a huge part of his testimony has been heard in private or closed session. He has been rebutting prosecution evidence against Mr. Taylor, including allegations that the former president gave orders to his National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) rebels to commit crimes such as rape, murder of civilians, looting of civilian property and burning of houses and public buildings. Similar crimes were committed by Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels in Sierra Leone, a rebel group which Mr. Taylor is on trial for allegedly supporting during the West African country's 11-years civil conflict. Mr. Taylor has denied providing support to the RUF.
DCT 125's testimony continues tomorrow.
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I believe that mr. Taylor is in the Hague and being tried for crimes committed in the Republic of Sierra LEONE, Why is it that he is being interrogated about things He is alledged to have done in Liberia?
This is called Cross-Examination.
Charles Taylor negates,that he armed the rebells in Seora Leone.
1.So...Why the Ministry of Marine affairs transfered US$ 150 000 to a bank in Dubai with the remark"sanction busting"?
Of course,the SANCTION to BUST was UN sanction resolution 2342(nout sure about the number)!
The sanction,which was mentioned was the ARM EMBARGO,imposed on Liberia during the Civil war.
2.Why Oriental Timber Corporation transfers taxes of US$ 500K to a bank in Switzerland,instead paying these taxes to Ministry of Finance of Liberia?
Charles Taylor does not talk,but soon the banks will talk.
The bank in Dubai will revel for what purpose $150 K were used,because it is UNBELIEVABLE,that someone withdrew such a large sum of money in CASH to pay for arms?
Such scenarios exist ONLY in the criminal movies.Usually payments are done through the bank,so that the buyer could prove paying the sales price.
The Swiss bank will also talk under the presure of EU.
Rosie, where did you get these large figures from? If they are justifiable, I hope these banks can talk as soon as possible becaus I am very tired hearing about this case. It is causing too much money and time. These monies should be used to help the poor people that lives were destabilize in Liberia nad Sierra Leone instead of the court lavishing it.
I read about Charles Taylor case in the LIBERIAN press.
The Germans do not want to know about a man,who behaved like Hitler.
They had had ALREADY one Hitler...they do not want to hear about another!
Mr.Kodmjian led the defense witness into a
trap.
By saying,that Taylor did not arrest and prosecute the RUF(revolutionary Union Front) rebels,he gave evidence,that Taylor did not keep the Treaty,which he signed with Sierra Leone's Government.
Taylor insists,that he DESIRED and aligned peace in Sierra Leone,but he did NOT arrest the revolutionaries ONCE they were on Liberian soil!
HOW ODD!
As i see it,the witness for Charles Taylor,pills like a banana...slowly but steadily the Prosecutor discredits him.
If the court in the Hague have not being able to convict Mr. Taylor for alleged crimes committed in Sierra Leone,He should be released and returned to LIBERIA immediately.
Taylor's trial on substantial laws STILL has not began!
Why are you talking that the ICC in Den Hague is NOT able to convict him?
WE say in Germany:"THE MÜHLEN DER JUSTIZ
MAHLEN LANGSAM ABER GERECHT!"
n English:"The mills of the Lady justice grind slowly,bur justly.!"
let the guy go simple and short we know what to do. with the recession and crisis every where around the world, why don't use the money for something else
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