11:30 (11:45 with the delay in video and audio): Court is back in open session following a brief private session requested by the defense.

The defense cross-examination concluded in private session.  Prosecutor Shyamala Alagendra will re-examine the witness:

Pros: I want to ask about the group you were with that moved from Col. Eddie Town to Benguema. What was the size of the group?

Wit: It was over 1,500.

Pros: Yesterday when being asked about Mohamed Bajehjeh and the RUF, you said he was RUF. You were asked how you knew he was RUF. You said they wrote on their guns RUF, and the boys with them, they wrote on their chests RUF. When you say that, who wrote that?

Wit: The RUF commander. When we were together, even my own son, they wanted to write RUF on his chest, but I disagreed. I said no.

Pros; Who wanted to write on your son’s chest?

Wit: It was Mohamed Bajehjeh’s boys, RUF boys.

Pros; What do you mean “write”?

Wit: They would take a blade and carve “RUF” on their chests.

Pros: How old were these boys?

Wit: Some were 12, some were 14.

Def: This is leading new evidence on re-examination. It came out in cross-examination in a particular context.

Pros: I wanted a clearer definition of what the witness meant by boys.

Judge Doherty: The answer was given before the objection was raised, but I don think it was a new area. If you’re not pursuing it further, then proceed.

Pros: You were asked how you knew that this group were RUF…

Judge Sebutinde: Did this arise on cross-examination?

Pros: Yes.

Def: Can we have a page reference?

Pros: [reads from transcript] Regarding the Red Lion group, you said some of them were Liberians because you heard how they spoke. You said the signs they showed you, you knew they were RUF, because they showed you all the signs. What did you mean?

Wit: They had red headbands on. It was written on the guns “RUF” in red ink. The small boys, it was written on their chests “RUF”. That is why I said it was the RUF group.

Pros: [reads from transcript] You said that at the time they were burning houses and killing people, you heard them yelling “SLA, NPFL, advance, advance.”

Def: It says NPFLA.

Pros: I’ll read it again. [reads again with NPFLA] Did you know what the NPFLA was?

Wit: No.

Pros: You said that you heard some of the group that took you from Karina was speaking Liberian. You said “that man was a real Liberian – the killer”. What did you mean?

Wit: He was speaking a Liberian language. He had nothing to do with the SLA group. He was only with the commanders. He spoke Liberian.

Pros; Who was this man?

Wit: The killer.

Pros: You were asked yesterday if you heard any reference to STF after your capture. Defense Counsel referred to your testimony in the RUF trial. You said in that trial: “I don’t know about the STF. It is RUF that I know”. You remember?

Wit: Yes.

Pros: I’m going to refer to another part of your testimony in that trial. [references RUF trial transcript] In that trial you were asked if CO Med was previously a Sierra Leone army officer. You said no. You were asked if he was STF. You said RUF. Do you know what STF means?

Wit: No.

Pros: Do you know what Special Task Force means?

Wit: No.

Pros: Thank you. I have no further questions.

Judge Lussick: A few moments ago, Ms. Alagendra asked you who wrote “RUF” on the chests of the boys. You said it was the RUF commander. You said they wanted to write RUF on your son’s chest, but you said no. Are you saying that your saying no was enough to prevent this?

Wit: I objected and the junta man with whom I was, I told him I did not want them to write on my son. He pleaded on my behalf.

Judge Doherty: Questions arising from the question from the bench?

Def: None.

Pros: None.

Judge Doherty: That is the end of your evidence. We thank you for coming. We hope you have a safe journey back. We will adjourn the court until 12:00.

11:30 (12:00 with the delay in video and audio): Court adjourns for the mid-morning break.