In his second day of testimony, a former Sierra Leonean rebel leader continued to distance Charles Taylor from wrongdoing during the country’s bloody 11-year conflict, pointing instead to the United Nations and other Liberian rebel groups who did more to further the rebel cause through weapons supplies and other assistance than the former Liberian president [...]
July
6
2010
Former Rebel Leader Continues to Distance Charles Taylor from Sierra Leonean Rebel Crimes
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A former Sierra Leonean rebel leader, released from his jail cell in Rwanda to testify on behalf of Charles Taylor, today rejected claims that the former Liberian president received diamonds from his neighboring rebel group, nor controlled the rebels’ actions during Sierra Leone’s bloody civil conflict. Issa Sesay, who led the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) [...]
British supermodel Naomi Campbell is to be served a subpoena and compelled to testify on July 29 in the trial of Charles Taylor about an alleged diamond gift she received from the former Liberian president in South Africa in 1997, Special Court for Sierra Leone judges ruled this week. The subpoena was issued after judges [...]
British Supermodel Naomi Campbell should be served a subpoena to testify in the Charles Taylor trial about an alleged diamond gift she received from Mr. Taylor in South Africa in 1997, Special Court for Sierra Leone judges have ruled in The Hague today. Prosecutors asked for the supermodel to be subpoenaed after she had refused [...]
Prosecutors can reopen their case against former Liberian president, Charles Taylor, paving the way for them to try to bring star-studded witnesses – including supermodel Naomi Campbell and Hollywood actress Mia Farrow — to testify at the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Last month, prosecutors had asked the judges if they could re-open their case [...]
June
30
2010
Charles Taylor Monthly Trial Report: May 2010
Dear readers – please find below a monthy summary of the Taylor trial for May 2010 by our friends Jennifer Easterday and Elena Marrs at the UC Berkeley War Crimes Studies Center. The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Open Society Justice Initiative. 1. Overview Trial [...]
Charles Taylor’s defense witness today denied prosecution suggestions that he received money from court officials as an incentive to testify before taking the witness stand on behalf of the former Liberian president in The Hague. As the cross-examination of Mr. Taylor’s fifteenth witness, “DCT-190”, finished today, prosecutors focused on payments made to him in connection [...]
A Sierra Leonean business woman who helped in recruiting fighters to invade Sierra Leone in 1991 this week concluded her testimony as Charles Taylor’s 18th witness, telling Special Court for Sierra Leone judges about her support and loyalty to the Sierra Leonean rebel leader and denying prosecution claims that she was not only supportive and [...]
Prosecutors today pointed out that there have been several inconsistences in the written statements made to defense lawyers and the oral testimony given in court by Charles Taylor’s fifteenth witness whose cross-examination resumed today, having being put on hold on after the witness concluded his direct examination about two weeks ago. On June 8 2010, Special [...]
Charles Taylor’s defense witness today said her efforts to help Sierra Leonean rebel fighters during the country’s 11-year war were motivated purely by loyalty to one man: rebel leader Foday Sankoh – not the former Liberian president Charles Taylor, as prosecutors allege. Isatu Kallon, a Sierra Leonean business woman who helped Revolutionary United Front [...]
