Court is in session.
Prosecutor Nick Koumjian requests that in future, questions regarding family members of witnesses be heard in closed session. The prosecution is concerned that public testimony that identifies witnesses’ family members could intimidate future witnesses. Some prosecution witnesses are concerned about this. Defense counsel Morris Anyah states: the prosecution has the option to apply for protective measures for witnesses. When these measures are waived, as they’ve been for Abu Keita, there should be no restrictions on questioning so that the accused’s right to confont his accusers is not curtailed. Judge Doherty: that’s not what prosecution is requesting – just that some relevant questions be heard in closed session. Defense says in that case it has no objection to this procedure. Judges are conferring. Presiding Judge Doherty: the court will consider each application for a private session as it arises.
Defense counsel Morris Anyah resumes his cross-examination of prosecution witness Abu Keita:
Def: I was reading yesterday from a set of documents. This document is your previous statement to the prosecution from June 30, 2003. You were asked by investigator Corinne Dufka what happened after the elections. You said everybody began to go back by their own way because Kromah fled to Guinea, and “some of us don’t have the means to go to Guinea. I don’t have the means to go to Guinea” Do you recall saying this?
Wit: No.
Def: You deny you didn’t wish to go to Guinea with Alhaji Kromah after the elections?
Wit: No.
Def: Are you admitting it then that you wished to go to Guinea?
Wit: No.
Def: After the elections, you lost your appointment given under Ruth Perry?
Wit: Yes.
Def: So you had to move from Lofa to Monrovia and reside with your Uncle, Mohamed Keita?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Taylor was inaugurated as president in August 1997 and he sought to bring former adversaries into his government?
Wit: Yes.
Def: There was an atmosphere of reconciliation? Taylor was trying to form an inclusive government including ULIMO?
Wit: Yes.
Def: One of the former ULIMO-K, Varmuyan Sherif joined his government?
Wit: Yes.
Def: You were called to report to Camp Suffering?
Wit: Yes.
Def: This is a military barracks that is in the direction of Roberts International airport in Monrovia?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Are you sure the name of that camp isn’t Camp Schieffelin?
Wit: That’s the camp.
Def: So within a year, you went from being a major general in ULIMO-K back into the Liberian armed forces?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Your rank when you returned was Major?
Wit: Yes.
Def: It’s fair to say you weren’t pleased with the direction of your life at the time?
Wit: No.
Def: Despite being in the army at the rank of Major after being a Major General in ULIMO, you were satisfied with your station in life?
Wit: Yes, I was satisfied.
Def: Within a few months, you started having meetings with Roosevelt Johnson?
Wit: No, it was not an ULIMO meeting. It was for reconciliation with the Krahn.
Def: Did you meet Johnson?
Wit: I want you to specify the question. Roosevelt Johnson was a minister in Taylor’s government.
Def: Did you attent meetings with Johnson.
Wit: Yes.
Def: On January 1, 1998?
Wit: Yes.
Def: At Roosevelt’s house?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Other Mandingos and Krahns were there?
Wit: Yes.
Def: That was the first of a series of meetings you held in the course of 1998 with Roosevelt Johnson?
Wit: Are you talking about the January meeting or a series of meetings?
Def: You met more than once with Johnson in 1998?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Others who attended were Dolleh?
Wit: No.
Def: You deny that Dolleh attended a meeting with you and Johnson in 1998?
Wit: I don’t know that person.
Def: Do you know a man named Dolleh who worked in Gyude Bryant’s transitional government from 2003-2006?
Wit: Yes. That’s Dolleh. He wasn’t in the meeting with Johnson.
Def: Was Arma Yulu present at your meetings with Johnson?
Wit: No.
Def: Was Arma Yulu present at your meetings with Johnson in 1998?
Wit: No.
Def: Do you know someone named Madison Wion?
Wit: I know the name.
Def: He was in the meetings with Johnson?
Wit: No.
Def: Was Barbor Aruna present in your meetings with Johnson?
Wit: Yes.
Def: I put to you that the meeting you had with Johnson was to plan the overthrow of Taylor’s government. True or false?
Wit: False.
Def: In July 1998 you and the others had a coup-planning meeting with Johnson. True or false?
Wit: False.
Def: In the meetings you agreed who would get which position after a coup, and that you would be commanding general of the AFL. True or false?
Wit: False.
Def: At the meeting it was decided that Dolleh would be Deputy Chief of Staff after the coup. True or false?
Wit: False.
Def: You were arrested in September 1998?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Shortly after a disturbance on Camp Johnson Road?
Wit: Yes.
Def: One reason for your arrest was that the authorities felt you were always around Roosevelt Johnson?
Wit: I told you I went to Johnson.
Def: The authoities felt you were always around Johnson?
Judge Doherty: He wouldn’t know what the authorities felt. It’s an unfair question.
Def: You often met with Johnson to plot the overthrow of Taylor. True or false?
Wit: False.
Def: You were told one of the reasons for your arrest is you were suspected of plotting a coup attempt with Johnson in 1998?
Wit: I never knew about a coup attempt.
Def: They thought you were part of a coup attempt?
Wit: I never heard of a coup. They arrested me because they saw me at Roosevelt Johnson’s house.
Def: (Refers to a document) This is from your statement to the prosecution on June 30, 2003: After that fracas, I was arrested because they said I was with ULIMO-K and they used to see me around Johnson. I told them I had a right to visit Johnson because he was a minister. The SSU arrested me on suspicion of cooperating with that operation. You told the prosecution that you were suspected of cooperating with Johnson in fracas in September 1998?
Prosecution objects: To put “fracas” in context, more from the statement should be read to describe the incident on Camp Johnson Road. Judge Doherty agrees.
Def: What happened to Joe Wally on September 11, 1998?
Wit: It was September 18. They said Wally was with Roosevelt Johnson, so he should be arrested.
Def: When you spoke with OTP in 2003, you said this happened on September 11, 1998.
Wit: It was September 18.
Def: (reading from previous statement) You were asked by Corinne Dufka, how long you served under Col. Tarnue. You said you were in that position until September 11, 1998. Do you remember giving those responses?
Wit: That date is not correct. It was the 18th.
Def: Can you tell us why you believe you were arrested in September 1998?
Wit: They said I was visiting Roosevelt Johnson.
Def: Another reason you were arrested is because when fighting broke out, you – with the AFL – refused to fight against Roosevelt Johnson?
Wit: They never called the AFL. They called the SSU and others who could take part.
Def: You were called?
Wit: Who called me?
Def: You said people were called to undertake an operation?
Wit: I don’t remember that.
Def: (referring to a document) These are notes from your statement to the prosecution on July 16-17, 2007. You said in July of last year: In September 1998, witness was arrested and accused for not fighting in a battle against CT forces. Do you recall saying this?
Wit: Yes.
Def: So one of the reasons you were arrested is you refused to fight against Roosevelt Johnson’s troops?
Wit: Yes.
Def: When you were arrested, one of the people who visited you in Saw Beach Prison was Varmuyan Sherif?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Sherif said you should cooperate with the Taylor government?
Wit: Yes.
Def: This was one former ULIMO-K soldier telling another to cooperate with Taylor’s government?
Wit: Yes.
Def: This was one Mandingo man telling another to cooperate?
Wit: Yes.
Def: The reason he told you to cooperate is that you didn’t like the fact that Taylor was president?
Wit: No.
Def: You told us yesterday that Varmuyan Sherif released you from prison?
Wit: Yes.
Def: In the past you said it was Papay Kuyateh, didn’t you?
Wit: No.
Def: (referring to document) You told the prosecution: I was brought out of prison by Papay Kuyate. He took me to Varmuyan Sherif’s place. That’s what you said to Ms. Dufka in 2003?
Wit: No.
Def: Yesterday you said it was Sherif who took you Musa Cisse’s place?
Wit: Yes.
Def: In 2003 you told Ms. Dufka it was Papay Kuyate who took you Musa Cisse’s place?
Wit: No.
Def: Papay Kuyate was one of the people who took you there?
Wit: No.
Def: (refers to same document from 2003) You said: From Congo Town, they took me to Musa Cisse. When you say “they” there, you’re referring to Kuyate and Sherif?
Wit: No, only Sherif.
Def: Yesterday you said you met Yeaten at Cisse’s place?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Was that the first time you met Yeaten?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Yeaten said you would be going on assignment to Sierra Leone?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Yeaten told you you would be transferred from the Ministry of Defense to the SSS?
Wit: No. He never told me I would be transferred to the SSS.
Def: (refers to document) According to prosecution notes from your February 2003 interview, you told them: A few weeks after the September 1998 attempted coup by members of ULIMO-J, Yeaten summoned Abu. During this meeting, Yeaten told Abu he was to be transferrred to the SSS under Yeaten’s command. That’s what you told the prosecution in 2003?
Wit: No.
Def: (reading) Yeaten said Taylor ordered Abu be sent to SL to work with Mosquito. Yeaten wanted me to work with the RUF. Did you make this statement?
Wit: That’s true.
Def: Yeaten said you’d be sent as a special representative from Liberia to Sierra Leone?
Wit: Yes.
Def: You said there was another meeting at Yeaten’s house later that day and that Sam Bockarie was present?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Yeaten or Bockarie said what you were going to do in SL was in the interests of the W. African sub-region, and that you were going to be given a stand-by force called the Scorpion Unit?
Wit: Yes.
Def: They said the purpose was to have a force that could come in behind an enemy if Liberia were attacked?
Wit: Yes.
Def: That was the first time you met Bockarie?
Wit: Yes.
Def: From Yeaten’s house you went to the Boulevard Hotel, where you met Ibrahim Bah?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Bockarie was also there?
Wit: Yes.
Def: was that the first time you met Bah?
Wit: Yes.
Def: You heard Bockarie and Bah discussing how to buy diamonds from the RUF?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Later you went to the Kadija Hotel, where Bockarie often stayed?
Wit; Yes.
Def: He showed you diamonds there?
Wit: Not there. It was at the Boulevard Hotel.
Def: He showed you diamonds there?
Wit: I saw a diamond.
Def: You went to White Flower that same day for the first time?
Wit: Yes.
Def: You said that Yeaten, Eddie Kanneh, Musa Cisse, SB Rogers and yourself were there?
Wit: Yes.
Def: You said Taylor arrived and a meeting was held?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Was that the first time you met Taylor?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Bockarie wanted to pay his respects to Taylor, and Taylor said he would assist the RUF?
Wit: Yes.
Def: You said Taylor told Bockarie to maintain the RUF in the absence of Sankoh?
Wit: Yes.
Def: So in one day, you met for the first time Yeaten, Bockarie, Bah and Taylor?
Wit: Yes.
Def: (a series of questions and individual answers) You want us to believe that at your first meeting with Bah, he was discussing diamond transactions with the RUF? That Taylor discussed helping the RUF in your presence for the first time? Bockarie showed you diamonds on the first day you met him?
Wit: Yes (to all).
Def: They were sending you on an important mission?
Wit: Yes.
Def: You were not able to read or write?
Wit: Yes.
Def: If I told you that White Flower was not opened until Jan 1999, would I be mistaken?
Wit: Yes.
Def: You’re sure that in September 1998, White Flower had been completely constructed?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Are you aware its construction started in 1997?
Wit: I don’t know when they started.
Def: Are you aware in September of 1998 Taylor was living near the German embassy?
Wit: No.
Def: Are you aware of a public ceremony in Jan 1999, dedicating the opening of White Flower?
Wit: No.
Def: When you met with prosecutors in Feb 2003, at no time you mentioned to them that you met Charles Taylor on the same you met Yeaten?
Wit: The same day I saw the president is the same day I saw Bockarie and Yeaten.
Def: But you never told the OTP that you met the president of your country on that day in September 1998?
Wit: No.
Def: I put to you that when you met with the OTP in February 2003 you didn’t mention meeting with the president of your country on the same day you met Yeaten.
Wit: I told them.
Def: If they didn’t write it down, it would be their error?
Wit: Yes.
Def: In your meeting with OTP in June 2003, you didn’t mention meeting Taylor that same day you met Bah, Yeaten and Bockarie?
Wit: I told them.
Def: In Feb 2005 when you met with the OTP, you did not say you met Taylor in September 1998.
Wit: I told them.
Def: When did you leave Monrovia for Buedu?
Wit: A couple of weeks after September 18, 1998.
Def: October 1998?
Wit: It was September 1998.
Def: How long were you in SL for before you left for Ghana?
Wit: Throughout the arrest of the peacekeepers and disarmament.
Def: I left the RUF at the end of 2002.
Wit: Which month?
Def: I can’t recall.
Wit: Once you left, did you come back to Monrovia often?
Def: No.
Wit: You never came back to meet Yeaten in Monrovia?
Def: You never met him?
Wit: At the border.
Def: You’re sure you never came back to Monrovia to meet with Yeaten?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Between 1998-2002, did you ever meet Yeaten in Monrovia?
Wit: No.
Def: Did you meet Taylor in Monrovia during that time?
Wit: No.
Def: (refers to a document) This is the statement from February 2003. You told the prosecution: Abu said he didn’t have much to do with the transfer of diamonds, although he’d been present on three occasions in 1999 with Mosquito when he brought diamonds to Taylor. That’s what you said in 2003?
Wit: No.
Def: (refers to a document) In July 2007 you told the prosecution: In 2000 the witness was at White Flower along with Joe Tuah and Yeaten to retrieve ammunition for use in Guinea. Charles Taylor spoke to the witness. This is what you told the OTP in July 2007, yes or no?
Wit: The date is not correct, but that is my statement.
Def: (refers to a document) In June 2003 you told Corinne Dufka of the OTP: I went there. Issa and Taylor sat in front of me and discussed in his house in Congo Town. That happened in 2000, after the fighting with UNAMSIL. That’s what you told the OTP in June 2003?
Wit: No.
Def: When I asked whether you’d returned to Monrovia to meet with Yeaten or Taylor, you were lying?
Wit: No.
Def: I want to ask about the meetings you described yesterday before you left for Sierra Leone. You told us at Musa Cisse’s place, Cisse, Sherif, Papay Kuyate, Pa Morie and Yeaten were present?
Wit: Yes.
Def: If you add youself to that, that would make 6?
Wit: Yes.
Def: A week later at Yeaten’s house, present were Yeaten, Kanneh, SBY, Rashid, Montgomery and Sherif were present?
Wit: Yes.
Def: You didn’t tell us yesterday that Joe Tuah was present there?
Wit: He was present.
Def: You did not tell us yesterday?
Wit: I told you.
Def: You didn’t say somebody named Foday was present?
Wit: That’s Bockarie’s bodyguard. I don’t remember that.
Def: You didn’t say a person named Jaharo was present?
Wit: No.
Def: You didn’t say Papay Kuyate was present?
Wit: No.
Def: In the past, have you said Kuyate was present at Yeaten’s house?
Wit: No.
Def: Was Sheku Suwape Koroma at Yeaten’s house when you met?
Wit: Yes.
Def: But yesterday you didn’t tell us that?
Wit: No.
Def: (refers to document) In your interview with Ms. Dufka in June 2003, you said: I only remember that Varmuyan Sherif, Papay Kuyate, Musa Cisse and Mosquito were there. Sheku Suwape Koroma was there. Yeaten was there because it was his house. Nobody else was there. On that occasion, you said there were 7 people there, including yourself.
Wit: Not correct.
Def: Yesterday you said Eddie Kanneh, SBY Rogers, Montgomery and Rashid were there?
Wit: Yes.
Def: When you spoke with the OTP in 2003 you didn’t mention them?
Wit: Maybe they made an error.
Def: Was your memory of 1998 better in 2003 than it is today?
Wit: My memory is better today.
Def: Yesterday you told us when you left Liberia to go to Buedu, you left with Zigzag Mazahar, Jungle, Sampson and Mike Lama?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Zigzag was Yeaten’s deputy?
Wti: Bodyguard.
Def: Sampson was the driver?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Who was Jungle?
Wit: He was also assigned to Yeaten.
Def: You said that in Voinjama you encountered Bockarie?
Wit: Yes.
Def: Have you told the OTP previously that you left Monrovia together with Bockarie?
Wit: No.
Def: Are you sure of that?
Wit: Yes.
Def: (refers to document) This is the February 2003 interview with the OTP. It says: Within the next few days, Abu left for Sierra Leone with Mosquito. Isn’t it true that you told the OTP in February 2003 that you left Monrovia together with Bockarie?
Wit: No.
Judge Doherty says it is time to adjourn for the mid-morning break. The session will continue at 11:30. Our account will continue at 12:00.
This witness Abu Keita is a disaster for the prosecution.
So, far the prosecution case is very weak, but it’s early and they may be building up to evidences to prove that Mr. Taylor was the leader of the RUF organization at the time that these horrible crimes were committed against the Sierra Leone people.
So far what the prosecution has presented the Defenses has shown that Mr. Taylor control was mostly over Sam Bockarie, who at the time was an Ex-RUF member turn mercenary with some of the fighter he commanded (who was fighting not only in Liberia, from Sierra Leone for Liberia against Guniea and also was fighting with Cote D’ivor rebel group and possible in Burkina Faso) not control over the RUF organization. Its sounding like Mr. Taylor hire Sam Bockarie after his break up with the RUF to fight LUDF/ULIMO forces who were attacking Liberia and was funded by the Sierra Leone and Guinea government, at a time when Liberia was basely defenseless because of the disarmament that had taken place in Liberia.
The prosecution two Liberian witness’ testimony has been about fighting between ULIMO, LUDF, NPDL, AFL and other Liberian rebel groups. The Liberian witnesses told the OTP things that the prosecution is basing their case on an in court but is saying something different. Abu Keita went as far as to say that he did not tell the OTP what they are saying he did.
I can see why the OTP did not want to give the defense attorneys the actual written notes and recording of these interviews but their own summaries of these interviews.