Cross-examination of Alex Tamba Teh by defense counsel Andrew Cayley continues:
Def: You stated yesterday that Mosquito spoke on a satellite phone, said “yes sir”, and said he had to go to Liberia. You didn’t say that until your proofing session with Mr. Bangura here in The Hague, isn’t that right?
Wit: I don’t know the procedures here. I’m just saying what I know.
Judge Sebutinde: Just answer the question directly.
Wit: I told Mr. Bangura.
Def: You didn’t say it during the previous statements, did you?
Wit: I mentioned the satellite phone. If you read my first statement, I mentioned something about the satellite phone.
Defense is now asking the witness to look at his first statement to prosecutors from November 2002.
Def: Please show us where in the statement it says anything about a satellite phone.
Wit: It’s toward the end, where it talks about where I went to Burkina/Buedu.
Defense is reading the passage to the witness. You don’t mention a satellite phone here, do you?
Wit: I said it. If it is not in the statement….I said it. The statement is true. I said it at the time I was interviewed.
Def: So the investigator did not copy what you said properly?
Wit: The statement is accurate but he left out certain areas.
Def: Did you sign the statement?
Wit: Yes.
Def: You were read the statement and had the opportunity to make corrections and additions, but you didn’t do this?
Wit: Yes, I was read the statement and had the opportunity. I had problems with my memory. Later when I heard Mosquito say he was in the hills of Freetown, that shows he had a satellite phone.
Defense is now showing a document regarding witness expense policy, and expense payments made to the witness by the Office of the Prosecutor.
Def: You received 38,000 Le for medical treatment and money for transportation between Kono and Freetown, correct?
Wit: They gave me transport.
Defense is asking about another expense, what it was for.
Wit: I don’t know about these things. They paid my transport, when I came they fed me, when I was sick I went to the hospital. I don’t know how much that cost when I went to the hospital. I’ve never seen this form before.
Def: Did court officials collect you from Kono, or did you come by yourself and they reimbursed you?
Wit: I hired a motorcycle to Koidu and the court then paid. From Koidu I took a bus to Freetown – sometimes they gave me money for that.
Def: What other expenses were paid to you? For what other purposes besides medical and transportation costs?
Wit: I’ve never seen this form before, and I don’t work there. I required medical assistance and transportation. You’ll need to remind me and I can answer yes or no.
Def: Were you paid money for the welfare of your family?
Wit: No, but I was paid for relocation costs.
Prosecution objects, says that the document comes from the WVS (witness and victim support) which is responsible for prosecution and defense witnesses. These are payments from the court’s registry, not the prosecution.
Judge Sebutinde: Defense didn’t say they were prosecution payments. Can continue.
Def: This payment of 638,000 Leones from the court – are you saying you don’t know why that was paid to you?
Sebutinde: Document doesn’t show that the amount was paid to the witness. It’s listed under “other expenses”, which doesn’t necessarily mean he was paid that.
Def: Do you recall receiving the witness attendance allowance listed in the document, a sum of 2 million Leones?
Wit: I don’t know, I was sick and went to the hospital. I was not given 2 million Leones.
Sebutinde: Document does not say he was given 2 million Leones in a lump sum.
Def: Do you recall receiving witness attendance allowance in small amounts? and how much?
Wit: Yes I received them. Every week in Freetown I receive 120,000 Leones. For two weeks that was what I received.
Def: On how many occasions?
Wit: I don’t know. I didn’t take note of it.
Def: More than 5 times? Less than 10 times?
Wit: I took an oath. I don’t know. I didn’t keep track.
Defense is now citing a document it says shows payments made by the Office of the Prosecutor. Asks witness to look at document. Asks about 15,000 Leones for purpose of bringing him to court and lost wages.
Wit: Yes, each time I came, they gave that to me.
Defense cites another line of the document for transport, meals and transportation.
Wit: I didn’t keep track.
Defense asks about a 50,000 Leone payment for “family welfare” just before he made his May 2007 statement.
Wit: Yes, they came to my village, and I said I could not go because my family had nothing. They gave it to me.
Def: Then the next day they gave you 35,000 Leones for transport.
Wit: Yes, they gave that to me.
Defense is citing another family welfare payment from June 2007 for 100,000 Leones. Do you recall receiving it?
Wit: Yes, I received it.
Def: What was the purpose of that June meeting with the office of the prosecutor?
Wit: They told me about this court in The Hague. Most of these things I don’t recall specifically. I’m telling the truth, but I can’t recall everything?
Def: Do you recall being in the court on June 19, or was it prior to that date?
Wit: I don’t recall.
Def: Around the time you received this 100,000 Leones, you made a statement to the OTP, correct?
Wit: I made statements. Please be clear.
Defense points to the balance of payments made to the witness.
Wit: They did give the money to me.
Defense asks about an additional payment of 20,000 Leones for lost wages. Do you recall receiving that amount?
Wit: I was given 20,000 Leones, but they did make clear exactly what it was for. They didn’t tell me the purposes. I always signed for the money.
Def: So they didn’t specify the purpose when they gave you the money?
Wit: They told me for transportation, family welfare and my lunch. They told me. Sometimes they gave me money, maybe as a kind of gesture.
Def: So there were times they gave you money as a gesture?
Wit: They spelled it out for transportation, family welfare and my lunch underway. I don’t know whether other payments were kind gestures or for wasting my time, I don’t know what.
Cross-examination is over.