Defense counsel began the afternoon session by reviewing “miscellaneous” amounts paid on behalf of the Witness by the Special Court.  These miscellaneous payment totaled over 3.5 million Leones.  The   Witness stated that the payments, in part, reflected the amounts Special Court paid for him to attend a computer school in Sierra Leone.  He explained that he attended nearly every day for at two-three hours a day over an eight or nine month period in 2007.  The courses were primarily in English.  The Witness also recalled that the Special Court paid for related computer materials, e.g. USB sticks and certificates relating to his coursework.  The Witness said he did not know whether anyone received more support from the Special Court than he had received.  He said that he was not aware of any payments that Vermulyn Sheriff received.  He further stated that he did not know whether Sheriff was a witness with the Special Court. 

Review of Statements in Earlier Interviews

Defense counsel reviewed several notes from interviews that the Witness had given to OTP investigators.  The Defense sought to establish when the Witness participated in frontline fighting with RUF.  He stated that for two years, from 1995-1997, he trained as an apprentice before joining the frontline.  He further  stated that he first worked with Benjamin Yeatin in late 1999.  Defense counsel referred to a December 2005 interview, his second OTP interview, wherein investigators recorded that the Witness first worked with Benjamin Yeatin in 1998.  The Witness stated that OTP incorrectly recorded this date.  He also said that he did not have any confidence in giving the Special Court information (despite accepting money for providing testimony).  He did not recall reviewing any information from the first interview in the second interview.  

The Defense counsel next reviewed a February 2006 interview with the Witness.  The interview notes indicated that the investigators previously interviewed the Witness under a false name.  Further, the notes state that the Witness was questioned by the National Security Administration under a second false name.  The Witness disagreed with this statement and testified that he gave the NSA his real name.  The Witness also said that although OTP investigators tried to read the interview previous notes, he stopped them from doing so.

The Witness also stated that he first met Jungle in 1997 in the Kailahoun District and they met again on a farm in 1998.  Defense counsel read excerpts of a November 2006 interview of the Witnesss regarding the transport of arms from Liberia by Jungle.  The Witness disagreed with the interview note that stated he was “best friends” with Jungle in 1998. 

The Witness confirmed the following statements from earlier interviews:

·     There was constant in-fighting between Sierra Leoneans and Liberians because of Sierra Leoneans’ treatment in Liberia.

·     In 1993, ULIMO took control of the Sierra Leone border and cut off supply lines from Sierra Leone.

·     He had no knowledge of communication between Foday Sankoy and Charles Taylor after ULIMO took control of the Sierra Leone border.

·     There was a female RUF commander known by her first name, Monica, and he was not aware of her full name.  The Witness said that he was told later by an investigator that her last name is Pearson.  He was not told anything else about her. The Witness said that he did not like Monica because she was an aggressive commander and did not treat fighters fairly.  She had people beaten violently and he had witnesses beatings conducted by Monica herself.  In one example, he saw her beat people with rubber.  He never saw her commit or order sexual violence against anyone.  He did witness the beating of a combatant in the Small Boys Unit, who was later removed from the RUF base.  The Witness never saw the child again after that incident and presumed that he was killed. 

·     Before the forming of battalions in 1994, Bockarie and Superman were having conflicts over weapons.  The conflict was not resolved until the formation of the battalions in 1994/1995.    The Witness testified that he did not agree that conflict lingered until Sam Bockarie moved to Liberia.  Superman continued to take instructions from Bockarie, however, the “grudge” between lasted until Bockarie moved to Liberia.

He confirmed that there was a uniform rank system in the RUF by 1994 before the formation of the battalions.  However, he cannot remember in what year the rank structure started.      

The Court adjourned for lunch until its 2:30 afternoon session.