The monitors of former President Charles Taylor's trial report for www.charlestaylortrial.org
Continuing Examination of Eitness TFI-567 on 4 July 2008
Court resumed on 4 July 2008, 10.00-12.00 (with 30 minutes delay in audio and video) and second session, 12.00-12.55 (30 minutes delay in video and audio)
Open Session
Brenda Hollis and Maja Dimitrova appeared for the Prosecution.
Courtenay Griffiths and Morris Anyah appeared for the Defense. The Defense submitted a 92-base application as a preliminary matter regarding a CD-rom of the Prosecution filed at July 2, 2008 in respect of witness TFI-… (please see court transcript for the correct reference). According to provisions 92 bis c the Defense has to register objections within 5 weeks of service of the CD-rom. However, the documents on de CD-rom seem to be many, over 500 pages. Therefore, the Defense requested the Court for two weeks to register objections.
Presiding Judge Doherty decided that this would be a reasonable motion and approved the requested time according to article 13b. The two weeks time will run from the date of receiving the hard copy.
The witness is reminded of his oath and the Prosecution started the examination.
The Prosecution asks the witness about the Black Guards and diamond mining. The Prosecution shows the witness several documents, such as mining reports with signatures on it.
At one moment the defense is arguing that the witness is contradicting the content of one document shown to the witness by the Prosecution and that the testimony of the witness is not significant since it is questionable whether the witness actually understood the document back in 1999 when he saw it for the first time since the witness speaks and understands English just a little.
The first session ends while the witness is giving information regarding travelling from Superman Ground (near Koidu) to Lome and finally Buedu.
The Court resumes the second session at 12:00 (12:30 included 30 minutes delay in audio and video).
Continuation of examination witness TFI-567
The Prosecution asks the witness about the communication facilities in Lome.
Foday Sankoh had a telephone and would have told the witness that he has communicated with his brother Charles Taylor. He would not tell what they discussed.
They had a radio, Daf installed the radio and they communicated with the SLA. Daf used to communicate with Sam Bockarie in Buedu, he was communicating with Monrovia by sunlight with Benjamin Yeaten. The witness was with Daf in the radio room.
At one time Sam Bockarie sent a message to Johnny Paul Koroma. We had to go to Monrovia. We stayed at Hotel Boulevard but that has been changed to Hotel Royal in Monrovia. Later we went to the guesthouse. We carried a parcel which contained 15.000 US$ to take care of Johnny Paul Koroma and his family.
Foday Sankoh came to Monrovia in 1999, they took Johnny Paul Koroma to the guesthouse to Hotel Africa because they did not want them to stay together. Pa (Taylor) told Paul Moriba to come and replace the generator, the guesthouse not in good condition.
When Foday Sankoh came to Monrovia they signed peace agreements. When he came to Monrovia he and Johnny Paul Koroma and his brother Charles Taylor met at the mansion in Monrovia (the executive mansion). All of the men, including the witness, were ordered to go there. Foday Sankoh told him what was told in the meeting. After the meeting the witness returned to the guesthouse and heard that they would go to Freetown. He and Johnny Paul Koroma arranged the trip.
Many people would visit Foday Sankoh while he was at the guesthouse. The witness saw many people and friends of Foday Sankoh, who came to see him. These were people whom he had trained with in Libya, like Charles Taylor, Benjamin Yeaten, Francis Mehon. The witness cannot recall all the names. Everyone was happy to see Foday Sankoh, because they knew he was arrested but that he came back. They would sing and drink together.
After the peace agreement was signed, Foday Sankoh became in control of the diamond business. Foday Sankoh told the witness so. Finally, Foday Sankoh and the Johnny Paul Koroma-group left through the RIA airport; Mosquito and the witness escorted him. There was security at the airport. They were SSUs. Foday Sankoh was going to Freetown and he took ammunition. The witness saw on the helicopter 15 tins with AK rounds and LPG bombs. The helicopter had a camouflage colour, like the army uniforms, black, green and dark brown. Benjamin Yeatem said his dad Charles Taylor owned the helicopter.
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The witness returned to the guesthouse with Sam Bockarie. Mosquito went with Benjamin Yeaten to meet Pa, Charles Taylor.
The Prosecution requests the Court for a private session since they will examine the witness about two unique possessions the witness held. Either position will identify the witness, but especially the combination of the two unique positions will identify the witness. The next part of the session will not be heard.
Therefore, Court goes into private session.
Copyright (c) 2003 Open Society Institute. Reprinted with the permission of the Open Society Institute, 400 West 59th Street, New York, NY 10019 USA, www.justiceinitiative.org. or www.soros.org.
