Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law | CARL Sierra Leone - ...fostering human rights through accountability

Charles Taylor's Trial

Charles Taylor Trial

An Update on The Trial Of Charles Taylor

The defence in the trial of former Liberian president Charles Taylor has presented 20 witnesses, all of whom have given oral evidence before the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL), sitting at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), in The Hague. Following the conclusion of the 20^th witness, the defence informed the judges that they no longer intend adducing any oral evidence unless otherwise instructed to do so. Meanwhile, the judges have drawn up a schedule for the conclusion of the case for the defence. Read more...

RUF Convict Issa Sesay Testifies in Defence of Charles Taylor

Issay Sesay returned to the witness box on Monday 26 July 2010 and told the Special Court for Sierra Leone that he was not appointed head of the RUF by Mr. Taylor alone but instead he was appointed after a series of discussions held by West African Leaders that merely included Mr. Taylor. Mr Sesay denied the prosecution claims that Mr. Taylor appointed him leader of the RUF in May 2000. Lead defense counsel Mr. Courtenay Griffiths asked the witness, “were you appointed leader of the RUF by Charles Taylor alone?” Mr Sesay replied “No. In fact, it was Obasanjo who brought about the idea.”

alt

Issa Hassan Sesay, Former RUF Interim Leader

The witness told the court that West African leaders including former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, Malian president Alpha Oumar Konare, Togolese president Gnassingbe Eyadema, Gambian president Yayah Jammeh and Mr.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 21 September 2010 17:07

WEEKLY SUMMARY OF THE TAYLOR TRIAL: WEEK OF 26 - 29 JULY 2010

Issay Sesay returned to the witness box on Monday and told the Special Court of Sierra Leone that he was not appointed head of the RUF by Mr. Taylor alone but instead he was appointed after a series of discussions held by West African Leaders that merely included Mr. Taylor. Mr Sesay denied the prosecution claims that Mr. Taylor appointed him leader of the RUF in May 2000. Lead defense counsel Mr. Courtenay Griffiths asked the witness, “were you appointed leader of the RUF by Charles Taylor alone?” Read more...

WEEKLY SUMMARY OF THE TAYLOR TRIAL: WEEK OF 12 -15 JULY 2010

Issa Sesay took the stand for a second week and continued to distance the RUF from Mr. Taylor’s control and influence. Mr Sesay testified on Monday that the government of Ivory Coast provided the RUF with support between 1996 and 2000, and that Mr. Sankoh was still seen as the leader of the RUF following his arrest for treason. The witness told the court that “ the Ivorian government was responsible for hotel bills, medication, feeding, transportation” for the RUF delegations, whilst they were in Ivory Coast and explained that Sam Bockarie contacted the Ivorian Ambassador in 1998, Amara Essy, because Mr Essy was Mr Sankoh’s friend.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 20 July 2010 02:20

WEEKLY SUMMARY OF THE TAYLOR TRIAL: WEEK OF 5 - 9 JULY 2010

Issa Sesay continued his testimony this week and repeatedly distanced the RUF from Charles Taylor’s control and support. On Tuesday he told the court that the RUF had not be ordered by Mr. Taylor to amputate civilians, release hostages, and that its leader, Foday Sankoh, had no desire or means to contact Mr. Taylor. The witness was asked to comment on the Prosecution’s suggestions that Mr Taylor had ordered ‘Operation Stop Elections’, an act that resulted in RUF soldiers amputating individuals. Read more...

DAILY SUMMARY of Taylor Trial Monday 5 July 2010

After the previous week's recess, the Defense called Issay Sesay on Monday to testify on behalf of Charles Taylor. Issay Sesay was an interim leader of the RUF in the late 1990s and is currently serving a 52 year jail sentence following his conviction for war crimes and crimes against humanity in relation to his role in the Sierra Leone conflict. Read more...

DAILY SUMMARY of Taylor Trial Tuesday 28 June 2010

Monday's testimony began by continuing the prosecution's cross examination of “DCT-19”. The court often sat in private session during the day's testimony. Ms Howarth, for the prosecution, suggested that DCT-19 had received money from the court for his testimony. The witness accepted that he had received assistance from the Victims and Witness Section (VWS) for medical care and accommodation. However, the witness told the court that he had never received physical money to pay for these services and denied ever receiving an “attendance allowance”. Read more...